Transformation of a White Tiger
by oolfloo
Summary: Sequel to 'Transformation of a Red Lion'. 5 years after the installation of Kuroda Shin as the Kumichou of the Oedo clan, Kazama Ren is a successful CEO; but is secretly struggling to reconcile his new life outside the Yakuza with his past.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a sequel to 'Transformation of a Red Lion'! **

**Summary of 'Transformation of a Red Lion' – Sawada Shin came back to Japan and became Kuroda Shin, the new Kumichou of the Oedo clan. His Shatei (basically a temporary right-hand man) is Kazama Ren, but is known in the Yakuza circle as Kuroda Ren. By the end of the first part, Yankumi realises that she has a thing for Shin, and Yamato is back from America. Ren has been offered to be in charge of a new company that controls the finances of the Oedo clan, rather than to stay on in the Yakuza. **

****Minor details/reminders to take note – Minami is a medical intern, Ryu is a lawyer, Hayato is a financial banker and Yamato is a doctor. **

**Okay, one last thing (I promise!) – As the title suggests, this fic will follow Ren closer than Shin. It is also YAOI (Ren/Yamato), so please don't read if you can't stomach it. Some scenes can be quite intimate. **

* * *

"Boss, your schedule is quite full today. There's a board meeting starting at 10am, followed by a meeting with the investors at 1pm. Then, you have another appointment scheduled at 3pm." Ren's secretary, Saki said as he entered the office. "This is the agenda for your Board meeting."

Ren groaned tiredly, but took the list from her. '_Item number 1, update on takeover bid on Toto Group. Item number 2, incorporation of Cosa Italia Pty Ltd (Japan chapter). Item number 3, status report on the new entertainment complex. Item number 4, reorganisation of current investment portfolio._' The list went on up to item number 8. Ren frowned slightly. It was going to be another very long day.

Ever since its formation 5 years ago, the Red Lion Group of Companies had been a massive success. By uniting all of the clan's businesses under one umbrella corporation, they were able to channel funds around more efficiently; thus generating more profits. The fact that the various businesses had a united legal front also improved their reputation and goodwill tremendously. Then, their financial power was further secured when the Cosa Nostra started investing in their group of companies. In fact, the Cosa was so impressed by their business model that they were in talks of doing the same. The Red Lion Group's CEO, Kazama Ren, had won numerous awards; such as Entrepreneur of the Year, Top Young Businessman of the Year, Top Financial Planner of the Year and so on. He became an icon of success in the business world almost overnight.

At the same time, the 'Kuroda Brothers' were becoming a famous legend. There was no one in Japan that did not know about them. Their real names and pictures were never revealed, so not many people knew their true identities – only that they were the epitome of ying and yang. All people knew was that together they controlled both the forces of dark and light. They were perceived as a formidable duo; capable of bringing a man to great heights, as well as to the brink of destruction. The older Kuroda Brother was simply known as 'Kuroda Red Lion' (though the correlation between him and the corporation was never drawn, since it was a generic enough name); whereas the younger Brother's nickname was 'Kuroda White Tiger'.

Ren snapped the file shut. "Alright. I'll go prepare for both meetings." There was no agenda list for the second meeting, because The Investors was actually spelled with a capital T and capital I; and was the codename for the Oedo clan leaders. Ren made sure that there were no records that would link the company to the Oedo clan. That meant no names, no paper trails, no nothing. Phone calls were made strictly by unregistered cellphones only. Only 2 out of the 200 employees knew who The Investors really were – Ren, the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board; and Yabuki Hayato, his Chief Financial Officer. "Who am I meeting at 3pm?" Ren asked.

"Senator Sawada." His secretary answered readily. Ren arched his eyebrows in surprise. Indeed, with the elections looming, many politicians had been desperately trying to secure funding from them for their campaigns. Ren wasn't a stranger to politicians, but this was the first time Senator Sawada was approaching him. _'This might get interesting.'_ He thought.

The board meeting proceeded without a hitch. He handled all the questions gracefully, providing them with more than satisfactory answers. Every visible facet of the business was legal; except for the, well, regular siphoning of funds to the Oedo clan. Which reminded Ren – the things Hayato could do to the account books were simply amazing. He was glad that he managed to convince Hayato to work for him. Ren thanked the Board of Directors, and then headed to his private office for a change of clothes. He swapped his tailored shirt, jacket and tie for a loose blue shirt and faded slacks. It would have been too noticeable if he strode into an Oedo clan meeting in his full business suit.

Ren took the service lift down to the lobby, exited the Red Lion Group's building through the back door and entered a slightly less opulent-looking shop lot next to it. This double-storey shop lot was the only asset that they had left in the Oedo clan's name.

"Konnichiwa!" He greeted everyone. "Aniki." He nodded to their leader.

Shin smiled at him. "Ren, it's good to see you. How are you doing?" They didn't see each other as often anymore. Ren lived with Yamato in an apartment near the financial district, about half an hour's drive away from Kurogawa. Shin was also constantly busy with the clan's affairs and Yankumi. They only saw each other every other weekend for some sparring, dinner and catch-up; and during the occasional Oedo family celebrations.

"I'm fine, Aniki, but there's something I want to talk to you about after this meeting." Ren replied.

Shin nodded tersely, then started the meeting without delay. He addressed everybody that was present and gave a brief update on major happenings in the clan. There wasn't much to say, since the Oedo clan had been flourishing since the takeover 5 years ago. There were a few turf wars in the beginning, but Shin and Ren handled everything gracefully. Challenges to Shin's authority were handled diplomatically, with almost zero bloodshed. Unrest within the clan was quickly detected and quelled thanks to Ren's attentiveness. The number of allies on their side practically exploded. Complete order was restored in less than 3 months, a feat that was previously unheard of in Yakuza history. Consequently, Tetsu was appointed as the new _wakagashira_, and Koisuke became the _shateigashira_. Due to a leg injury and his expressed desire to spend more time with his family, Wakamatsu was delegated to head the administrative division instead. His job was to oversee the clan members' welfare, audit the accounts, and work with the clan's lawyers whenever a problem arose. Minoru and Makoto remained as members of the Oedo family.

Ren listened to Shin's update with admiration. The Oedo clan was continuously gaining more and more allies every single day. Despite his young age, Shin was becoming one of the most respected leaders in the Yakuza. There were even rumours that he might be elected as the next Kaichou when Tanukibara-kaichou retires next year; thus making him the official leader of the Yakuza. Ren was quite sure Shin would turn it down, though.

A pang of worry erupted in his chest when Shin informed them about an upcoming confrontation with an overseas drug cartel that had been trying to establish a base in Japan. There were times when he wished he had stayed on to protect his Aniki, but he also knew that he was in a much more crucial position. Because of the complete separation, the Oedo clan had no legal claim whatsoever over the Red Lion Group or its money. The entire Oedo clan and its 3000 plus members were relying solely and entirely on Shin's unwavering trust for him.

He cleared his mind. He knew that he could always return to the clan whenever he wanted, just as Shin had promised him many, many years ago. But right now, he was required in another capacity; and Ren was determined to give it his all. He could only pray that Tetsu would protect Shin with his life and more.

"That's all I have for now." Shin concluded. "Ren, can you give us a report on how the business side is doing?"

"Yes, Aniki." Ren stood up. "The business is going well; our combined profit for the first quarter has increased 25%. Hayato has confirmed that there will be a 15 million yen payout and the money will be transferred to the Oedo clan's accounts latest by the 1st of July. We are retaining 10% of the profit and plan to use the extra money to diversify our investment portfolio to even more sectors. Hayato and I have developed a new investment strategy will further minimise our losses and maximise our profits. The Cosa Nostra has also confirmed that they will be incorporating a branch office in Japan, named Cosa Italia Pty Ltd; and will be putting it under our Group's management. The main issue that I would like to direct your attention to today; however, is about election funding. As we all know, the general election is coming up next year; so we have had many politicians approaching us for funding. Who do you all think we should support?"

Shin thought for a moment. "Who has approached you so far?" He asked.

"I think, Aniki, the question should be who _hasn't _approached me." Ren smiled, holding up a thick folder. "Do you have any candidates in mind?"

Shin nodded. "This election is a good opportunity for us to exert more control in the political arena. Moreover, with the separation of the Red Lion Group from the Oedo clan, we can also influence the more self-righteous politicians without their knowledge."

Everyone murmured in agreement. One could always count on Kuroda Shin to come up with a plan that would allow him to play both sides.

"Do you have Senator Izumi on your list?" Shin asked.

Ren was sure he did, but double-checked his folder anyway. "Yes. However, he's not as desperate as the others. I think he just wants the reputation of being backed by the Red Lion Group. There's another company that has agreed to provide him financial support."

Shin frowned slightly. "What company is that?"

"Give me a second." Ren flipped through his file. "Takira Transport Co. It's a middle-size firm, but has quite a large capital. Net worth is about $100 million yen. No known associations to any major external financial sources."

"$100 million yen is not too much for the Group. Can we launch a hostile takeover?" Shin asked.

Ren considered the suggestion. It seemed like Shin was very keen on getting Senator Izumi under his thumb. "With all due respect Aniki, we already hold about 50% of the market share for transportation; so any more may cause us to come under the scrutiny of the market regulators. What we can do, however, is to temporarily destabilize their financial standing to the point that they would be forced to withdraw from funding Senator Izumi's campaign; but can still continue to remain in business." Ren said. "This way, we can also easily reinstate their financial position after the election."

Shin smiled proudly. His younger brother was becoming quite the adept businessman. "That is acceptable, Ren. Can I entrust this matter to you?"

"Yes, Aniki. Will you be dealing with Senator Izumi, or would you prefer me to do that?"

"I'm afraid that Senator Izumi is a bit of a prude, so I'll have to burden you with that. He will never work with the Yakuza no matter how much money we can offer him." Shin said. "Make sure you do it properly though. If all goes well, we'll push him to become the next Prime Minister."

"Wakarimashita. I will see to it then." Ren replied dutifully. "Actually, Aniki, even the current Prime Minister has requested our backing. Are you interested in him?"

"No," Shin said curtly. "He's a man without discipline. We're already working on digging up some scandals of his, so he won't stay in office for long."

Ren nodded in understanding. Shin was the most intelligent, cunning and manipulative person he has ever met. If he hadn't joined the Yakuza, Ren thought that he would have made a great Prime Minister as well.

"I think Minister Aoi, Minister Kitto and Senator Odagiri are the people's favourites nowadays. What do you guys think?" Shin asked the clan leaders.

"Frankly, Senator Odagiri is a pain in the ass. He's just popular because he's filthy rich and was the former Chief of Police. Nowadays he's more or less riding on his son's fame. I wouldn't put my money on him." Division Three's leader grunted.

"Yeah, but as you said, young Odagiri is garnering a lot of attention nowadays; especially after he took on that pro bono case last year to defend the refugees. He is quite popular among the young to middle-aged community. Maybe we can groom him into the next Member of Parliament?" Another leader suggested.

Shin shot a look at Ren. The latter was deep in thought. "Ren, what do you think?"

"Ryu is quite talented indeed, but I'm not sure if he will be interested. He's really passionate about defending the rights of the oppressed and all that. Furthermore, he hates politics with a passion." Ren said.

"Well, he can do even more as an MP, if he gets elected. I'll talk to him and see what he says." Shin said. "Anyone else?"

"Minister Aoi is a little infamous, but he's more than willing to work with the Yakuza, as long as the price is right. I think he already has some connections with the Tenkai clan." The leader of Division Six said.

"That's good. Tenkai clan is firmly on our side. They won't stand in our way."

"Minister Kitto is a bit of a bully, but he's related to the American president. I think his niece married the president's stepbrother or something." The leader of Division Ten revealed.

"So desu ka." Shin said. "In that case, to ease Ren's burden, we'll handle Minister Aoi and young Odagiri. Ren, you take Minister Izumi and Minister Kitto. See if you can secure a meeting with the President through Minister Kitto. Once you manage to establish a strong enough relationship with the President, drop Minister Kitto immediately. We have no need for bullies."

"Yes, Aniki, duly noted." Ren answered.

"Alright, meeting adjourned." Shin announced. Turning to Tetsu, he said, "Go back without me. I have some things to discuss with Ren."

"Hee, Oyasan." Tetsu answered. Now that Shin was the Kumichou, they were not allowed to call him 'Aniki' anymore. Only Ren was allowed to call him that because he wasn't part of the clan.

"So, Ren, what is it you wanted to talk to me?"

Ren glanced at his watch. It was quarter to three. "I'm meeting another senator in 15 minutes, and I was wondering if you would like to come with me?" He asked with a straight face.

Shin stared at him questioningly. He usually stayed out of all the business dealings, so Ren's request was a little out of the ordinary. "Why?" He asked simply.

"I'm meeting one Senator Sawada." Ren said, grinning mischievously.

Shin broke into a chuckle. "Oh my! No wonder! Yes, I would like that very much."

"I'm hungry." Ren said. "Let's make him wait for a while, alright?"

Shin nodded. "Of course. Let's see how patient he can be."

* * *

About two hours later, they made their way back to Ren's office. Shin sat outside Ren's private office and waited while the latter changed back into his business suit.

A lady exited the lift and looked around the floor uncertainly, behaving as if she was not supposed to be here. Shin recognised her as Ren's secretary. She looked absolutely stressed and worried, on top of the nervousness.

He walked up to her. "What's up, young lady? You are too pretty to look so upset."

She glared at him fiercely. "Mind your own business!" She snapped.

Shin stifled a grin. His best guess was that Senator Sawada has been harassing her for the past two hours; probably threatening her entire family's jobs and futures and what not. "Your boss is back, you know." He said casually.

"WHAT? WHERE?!" She asked immediately.

"Don't worry, he'll be out soon. He's just getting ready inside." Shin pointed to the last door at the end of the corridor. Saki stared at him suspiciously. Who was this guy and why was he on the restricted floor? Only her boss had access to this floor. No one, not even her, knew what was behind those doors. She only dared to venture up here today out of sheer desperation to locate her boss. There have been rumours circulating the office that her boss was gay. Was it true? Was he shacking up with this man in the forbidden room?

Shin sighed quietly. Why did people always think that he and Ren are dating? _'I mean, seriously! Even if I were gay, we wouldn't be compatible! I'm shorter than him! Plus he's such a dominant character! Wait, do they think that I'm the girl then?' _Shin felt scandalized. He pointedly ignored the secretary and sat back down on the couch.

Ren reappeared in his formal business attire. "Ah Saki, is Senator Sawada still here?"

"Boss! I'm sorry, I shouldn't be here… I was trying to find you…" Saki rambled nervously, before remembering that her boss had asked her a question. "I mean, yes! He's getting really impatient. You better go see him now." She positively fled into the lift.

Over the years, Ren had learnt to sense his Aniki's moods; despite the fact that his facial expression was always unreadable.

"What's gotten your knickers in a twist?" He asked teasingly.

"Your secretary thinks you're shagging me!" Shin growled.

"A lot of people think that." Ren pointed out. "It never bothered you."

"As in, she thinks _you _are shagging _me_."

Ren laughed out loud. No wonder Shin was so offended! He hated people undermining his authority. "Oh, this is golden! I need to give her a bonus!" He said, tears flowing out of his eyes.

"Ugh. Shut up." Shin said sulkily.

"Okay, okay. Go wait in the meeting room, Aniki. I'll go get your father dearest." Ren said.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Updates will be pretty fast for this new fic - mainly because I have a very good idea of how I want it to go. I'm also making quite good progress on the Shinkumi one-shot that I promised, so you guys can expect it by next week! :)**

* * *

"Ah, Senator Sawada!" Ren greeted jovially. "I'm so sorry for the delay! I was having a meeting with our Group's financier, you see; and somehow time just flew by without me realising!" He said apologetically.

Senator Sawada pricked up his ears. He didn't know that the Red Lion Group had a financier! The Red Lion Group itself was estimated to be worth approximately 50 billion yen and still growing exponentially, that was why everyone was clamouring to get into its good books. If that was the case, their financier must be a very wealthy and influential man. Biting back his irritation, he responded politely. "Oh, it's okay, Kazama-sama. But I didn't know that the Red Lion Group has an external financier?"

"Really? Ah, I must tell you, without him the Red Lion Group would not have existed. I'm just a small employee; really, he's the brains behind the entire operation. Very talented man. Best thing that ever happened to mankind since Adam." Ren was exaggerating, but he wanted to exalt Shin as much as possible for maximum impact.

"Wow, he sounds quite impressive indeed. Umm, may I know who is he?" Senator Sawada asked as casually as possible, hoping that he wasn't being too obvious. It was always good to know wealthy people, after all.

Ren grinned internally. Senator Sawada had fallen straight into the trap. "I can't reveal his real name, but he is mostly known as Kuroda Red Lion. Have you heard of him?"

"Kuroda Red Lion… You can't possibly mean one of the Kuroda Brothers?" Senator Sawada asked in awe.

"Yeah." Ren replied indifferently, as if it wasn't that great of a deal. "In fact, he's still here somewhere, going over some balance sheets. I can bring you to meet him if you want?"

"Oh… Umm… Of course. Whatever you think is best, Kazama-sama." Senator Sawada said evenly on the outside, although he was jumping with joy inside his head.

"Hmm. If you're not keen, then I guess we better not disturb him…" Ren said slyly.

"Actually, it would be a great honour to meet Kuroda-sama in person! I really must tell him how much I admire him!" Senator Sawada hurriedly added.

Ren smiled patronizingly. "Of course. Please come this way."

"Umm… Kazama-sama, do you know the younger Kuroda Brother as well?"

"I do." Ren said shortly. Senator Sawada was impressed to say the least. It looked like there was much more to this young man than met the eye. He opened his mouth to ask more, but they had arrived at their destination.

"Kuroda-sama, I'm sorry for the interruption." Ren announced as they entered the room. "This is Senator Sawada. When I told him that you were here, he expressed the desire to meet you. I hope you don't mind."

Senator Sawada kept his head and waist bowed as a sign of respect. "It is such a great honour to meet you in person, Kuroda-sama."

Shin snorted amusedly. "Ah Senator Sawada. Nice to meet you. Please, do have a seat." He said pleasantly.

The moment Shin opened his mouth, Senator Sawada's mind started reeling. Kuroda-sama's voice sounded a little familiar, like someone he knew a long, long time ago; but he simply couldn't put his finger on it. Once he was invited to sit, he finally raised his head to look at Kuroda-sama.

An involuntary gasp left his lips. _'It can't be, right? But that hair colour, that eyes, that cheekbones!_' The man before him looked a little older and wiser than he last saw his son 8 years ago; but there was still a hint of boyish exuberance in his cheeks. He was also in the right age-group and had the right height (or rather, the lack thereof).

"Sh-Shin?" He whispered disbelievingly.

Shin pretended to frown at the disrespect shown by using his given name without permission. He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

Senator Sawada had no doubts now. He might be a stranger to Shin's smile; but he recognised his frown far too well. In fact, that was probably the only expression he had ever seen on his son's face. He didn't know what to say. His son was the Kuroda Red Lion. The son he had abandoned and pretended he didn't have was now one of the main controlling forces in Japan. The son he had doomed to live among the 'trash' of society was more successful and more powerful than he could ever dream to be. Karma was coming back to bite him in the ass, and it hurt like hell.

Shin looked at Senator Sawada, feeling a slight twinge of pity. He had let go of his hatret and anger many years ago – the moment he became Kuroda Shin. He had only meant to play a trick on him, but it seemed like the old man was at the verge of breaking down.

"Shin, how have you been?" Senator Sawada asked gruffly.

"I will overlook the liberal use of my given name due to our past history." Shin said pointedly. Just because the old man couldn't handle the shock did not mean that Shin was going to let him push him around again. The time for that had passed. "But in answer to your question, I have been well, Senator Sawada."

When his son called him that 8 years ago, it just sounded like teenage rebellion; but to hear Shin calling him that now, it felt like a knife through his heart. He had taken his son for granted. He never realized that losing his son would be so painful.

"Shin, I'm sorry…" He choked.

Shin was dumbfounded. It was the first time he had heard Senator Sawada utter those two words in his entire life. He nodded in acknowledgement, but kept silent so that his voice would not betray him. He shot a meaningful look at Ren, who bowed respectfully and left the room.

He cleared his throat. "Was that a genuine apology, or just a desperate attempt for funding?" He asked curtly, not wanting to be disappointed again by his father.

"Shin, I'm really sorry… I've wronged you. I've never meant to drive you away from our family; despite my harsh words and actions. Will you ever forgive me?" Senator Sawada asked softly.

"Would you have been sorry if I wasn't the Kuroda Red Lion?"

"I… I would. I tried to look for you a year ago. Natsumi finally woke me up. She blamed both your mother and I for alienating our children. She asked me to name something that my children liked – a food, a hobby or even just a colour. I couldn't. I finally admitted that I had no idea. The sad, disappointed look that she gave me afterwards still haunts me in my nightmares. It was then that I realised that I've been mistakenly trying to raise both of you as Senator Sawada's children; instead of just Sawada Shotaro's children that you all are. I'm sorry, Shin."

"I've forgiven you long ago, Senator Sawada." Shin replied slowly. "All of Sawada Shin's history, including the pain and hurt; had been buried together with his name."

"Since when did you…?" Senator Sawada trailed off, not knowing how to phrase the question; but Shin heard it anyway.

"I took on the Kuroda family name when I was 22, a few weeks after you declared that you will thank all your ancestors if I were not your son." Shin said bluntly.

"I…"

"It doesn't matter. As I said, I've moved past all of that a long time ago. I am proud to be a Kuroda. I am their rightful heir and will one day become head of the family. I will not take back the Sawada name, nor will I acknowledge you and Madam Sawada as my parents. However, I forgive both of you." Shin opened his cheque book and scribbled something on it.

"Needless to say, I won't be funding your campaign. Not because of anger or hatred; just because of the conflict of interest. However, I've grown attached to the apartment; even though I don't live there anymore. Allow me to buy it off you. Perhaps this will help tide you through until you can find another sponsor." He said, offering the cheque to his father.

Senator Sawada took a glance at the amount he wrote. 25 million yen. That was 5 times more than the actual price of the apartment. It was true then, Shin was wealthy. That was ultimate proof that his son was, indeed, the Kuroda Red Lion and one of the Kuroda Brothers. Senator Sawada shook his head. "Thank you for your forgiveness. As for the apartment, since that is the only right thing I have ever done and probably the only thing I can do for you now; please feel free to keep it."

Shin nodded understandingly. "Thank you. But there's one more thing you can do for me."

Senator Sawada looked at him hopefully.

"Make sure that Natsumi is happy. And no, not what _you_ think will make her happy; but what truly makes her happy. Make an effort to find out what that is, and when you do; do everything within your ability to give it to her."

Intense guilt flooded Senator Sawada's heart. He had no idea that he had made their lives so miserable. He had always dismissed their feelings as temporary teenage rebellion, but Shin had shown him that the hurt went far beyond that. He had lost a son; he wasn't willing to lose his daughter as well. "I… I will."


	3. Chapter 3

**Warning: Minor YAOI smut! **

* * *

"Ne, Yamato…"

"Mmm, Ren?"

"Umm… Do you want to go with me to the Oedo house this weekend?"

Yamato was startled to say the least. Even though they had been together for 5 years, Ren had never invited him to any of the the Oedo family events. He kept telling himself that Ren must have a good reason for not doing so, but sometimes he wondered deep inside if Ren was ashamed of him. After all, he couldn't fight as well as they could. Ren kept his katana and tantō in the spare closet upstairs, and Yamato still shuddered every time he caught sight of them. They were so _deadly_, so _ominous. _

Ren took his silence as reluctance. "Uh, don't worry about it. I was just…"

"Yes." Yamato said.

"Huh?" Ren was confused.

"Yes, I'll go. If you want me there, that is." Yamato replied.

"Of course I want you there! I've been dying to introduce you to my family. But, are you sure you don't mind the danger and the Yakuza factor and all? I mean, I'll be with you the whole time, of course, but there's always some degree of danger…"

"Oh Ren…" Yamato sighed. "Is that why you've never invited me before this?"

"Yeah." Ren said guiltily. "I… I'm proud to have a Yakuza family, but sometimes I wish that I had a safer family, and a safer place that I can bring you home to. I'm not sorry for having them as my family, because that's the best thing that happened to me; but I'm sorry that the Oedo house is not a proper refuge for you to turn to. I promise you though Yamato, no one will dare lay a hand or raise their voice at you—"

Ren rambling was forcefully cut off with a kiss.

Yamato pulled back and looked at him sternly. "Why didn't you just ask me, Ren? After all these years, I was beginning to think that you are ashamed of me or something…"

"No, I would never!" Ren breathed. "I'm sorry, Yamato… I've never meant to make you feel this way. I just didn't want to pressure you into an uncomfortable position."

"Is that why you've never told me about your time in the Yakuza as well?" Yamato asked. He was curious about Ren's life in the Yakuza, but Ren always seemed reluctant to say anything; so after a while he stopped pushing.

Ren scooted further away from Yamato. "It's not, but I can tell you; if you really want to know." He said sadly. "I just don't know if you'll still look at me the same way afterwards."

Yamato could see the anguish in Ren's eyes. Obviously it was something he didn't want to talk about. "I want to know, Ren. It's not right that there is a whole part of your life that I don't know about. And a very important part too, from the looks of it." He could sense it. Every time before an Oedo family gathering, Ren would be high-spirited and cheerful, full of uncontained excitement. And every time he came back afterwards, there would be a contented look in his eyes. Once in a while though, he would just sit and stare at the doors of the spare closet wistfully.

Yamato did not bridge the gap that Ren deliberately created, but he reached out his hand to capture Ren's hand. "I made Kura and Ryu tell me about what happened that night you rescued Ichi, I hope you don't mind."

Ren grunted noncommittally. That was child's play compared to the rest of his experience.

Yamato tried to switch tactics. "You know, what a coincidence; I amputate people's limbs all the time in the hospital too!" He joked. "We must compare experiences. Maybe we can learn a thing or two from one another."

Ren rolled his eyes, but there was a faint trace of amusement playing on the corner of his lips.

"Now, I haven't euthanized anyone yet, but I know of doctors who have. All shush shush, of course." Yamato said, trying to ease into the conversation.

"Euthanasia and murder isn't the same, Yamato." Ren said softly.

Yamato waved his hand dismissively. "Mere technicalities. Basically you make a heart stop beating. Sounds the same to me." Not that he believed it, of course. But he knew he had to make Ren talk somehow.

Brief amusement flitted across Ren's face. "Aniki once told me that _'you'll sound more convincing if you actually believe what you're saying'_. I guess he's right, huh." He looked at Yamato meaningfully.

Yamato smiled guiltily at being caught. "I just…"

"17." Ren interrupted, so quietly that Yamato almost missed it.

"Wha—Oh." Yamato jolted in realization. 17 was not a small number, considering that Ren only stayed in the Yakuza officially for 3 months. Unofficially though, it was close to 4 years. So maybe that's why. "How?"

Ren looked at him disbelievingly, but realised that Yamato was serious. "Tantō. Katana_._ Shotgun. Bare-handed. You name it." He moved to pull his hands away, but Yamato held it tight.

"These hands have killed, Yamato. They have shed blood, crushed larynxes, cracked skulls and broke bones. And they can easily do the same to you too. You can't tell me that you're not disturbed."

Yamato smoothened out Ren hands and intertwined their fingers together. "They can, but they won't. And you forgot that these hands had also carried me when I was hurt, comforted me when I was sad and fed me when I was sick." A small voice inside his head added cheekily, _'not to mention the sinful things they do in bed…'_

Ren smirked at the slight blush on Yamato's face. He knew exactly what Yamato was thinking. He pulled his boyfriend onto his lap. "Yamato, you're not supposed to distract me during such a serious conversation."

Yamato smiled happily at his new sitting position. This was more like it. "I didn't. It's your fault for trying to read my mind."

"Mm-hmm. Maybe we should take a break from the serious stuff."

"Oh no we won't." Yamato grinned evilly. "Now that I've got leverage," He wiggled his bum slightly to prove his point, eliciting a groan. "I'm going to go straight into the interrogation."

"Really, Yamato? Using sex as leverage? What happened to that stoic schoolboy I once knew?" Somehow, over the years, they have grown more and more demonstrative of their emotions. They almost never used that silent-speak anymore. Okay, maybe just occasionally. To send dirty thoughts to each other in public. That was always fun.

Yamato gave him a sharp pinch. "He grew up. Now, behave."

"Yes, sir."

"Now, before we continue, are there any other crimes that you want to confess to?"

"Let me see… Assault. Battery. Possession and use of unregistered firearms and prohibited weapons. Bribery. Threatening an official. Illegal gambling. Money laundering. Tax evasion. That's all, I think. At least the prominent ones."

"Mmm. Impressive rap sheet. So, tell me about the 17 people."

"Not much to say about them." He pointed out. "They're dead."

Yamato grinded against Ren, hard. "Don't be a smartass."

"God, Yamato, do you even realise how wrong this is? You're making me talk about people I've killed in cold blood while I'm incredibly aroused."

Yamato, indeed, had not realized the implications of his actions. But he was making a lot more progress than any amount of coaxing in the past 5 years, so he had no intention of giving up now. "Hush, no one will know anyway. So, stop dallying. Tell me." He gave Ren's hips a tight squeeze with his knees.

Ren was panting at the sensation. "Oh for the love of— fine, Yamato, but stop moving!" He took a deep breath, trying to forget the urgency in his lower body. "The first 5 was on the day you announced that you were leaving for America. It was an attempted assassination on me. I killed 5 of them with my tantōs, and allowed 2 to go back with a warning message. The next guy was a half-insane man who tried to attack Aniki with a crowbar. I… umm, bashed his skull with his own crowbar." He looked guilty at the admission. "That was an unnecessary death. I just lost my temper."

Yamato placed a light kiss on his hairline. "We'll talk about this later. Continue, Ren."

"The next 2 were just some random people in a gang-fight that got too close to me. You know, sort of like what Kura and Ryu saw happened to me, just that this time I reacted before they got me. I shot them. Right in the heart. I probably would have been able to get away with just injuring them, but I was erring on the side of caution after the Tarou incident. That, and Aniki was with me at that time. I wouldn't risk his safety for anything." Ren paused, remembering something. "That's another thing, Yamato. I… I'm not sure how you would feel about the true extent of my relationship with Aniki."

"Tell me." Yamato said quietly.

"I've sworn my life to him. Well, technically, I'm no longer bound after I've finished my duty as his Shatei; but that kind of oath, it sort of grows on you, you know? I've spent 4 years of my life solely devoted to him. For 4 years, his safety was the paramount concern in my life; overshadowing everything and everyone else in my life, probably even my own sister. Of course, I was lucky enough to never have to choose between them, and Aniki would never put me in that situation either; but I'm just telling you how deep the bond goes."

He took a deep breath before continuing. "As a Shatei, my life was forfeit to my Leader. And the thing was—" He stumbled noticeably. "I liked it. I liked it, Yamato. I was living a life of complete servitude, but it felt like I belonged. Maybe it was because Aniki was equally protective of me, even though he didn't have to; I don't know. And for the first time in my life, Yamato, I understood why people say that power corrupts. I had so much authority in my hands. I could have asked my men to drown themselves and they would have asked me _'which river, sir?'._ Not that I miss the power, because I don't; but the exhilaration in your blood is incredible. It made me feel alive, purposeful, invincible. And when I'm standing next to Aniki on the battlefield, it's like everything is right in the world. Despite whatever the danger around us, I would feel totally at peace with myself… God, I'm not making much sense, am I?"

"I think I understand." Yamato interjected. "I've known you for a long time, Ren. When you look at me – and this is going to sound cheesy, but I think we need to get everything out in the open today – it's like I'm your lifeline. And I thank you for that, Ren; please believe me when I say that I know how much you love me. And I love you just as much and maybe even some, but I digress. The thing is, I may be your lifeline; but when you look at Shin, it's like you're looking at life itself." Yamato murmured softly into Ren's neck.

"I'm sorry, Yamato. I want to give you my all, I really do—" Ren choked.

Yamato silenced him with another kiss. "It's okay, Ren. And you _have_ given me all that you can give, I know that. I will never make you choose between Shin and I." He broke off thoughtfully. "I guess I'll just have to learn how to be one of those good Yakuza wives, eh? Perhaps I should invite Yankumi over for tea one of these days." He grinned impishly.

"Yamato…" Ren couldn't believe the treasure he held in his hands. What could he have done to deserve such a perfect, understanding boyfriend?

Yamato was still running the idea in his head. "Hmm. What do think they will call me? They can't call me Nee-san, can they? What do you think, Ren?"

"I love you."

"Eh?" Yamato stared at his boyfriend blankly, as if not daring to believe his ears.

"I said; I love you, Yamato." Ren repeated.

"Five years I've waited for you to say that aloud, and that was all it took? If I have known earlier, I would have marched you off to Kurogawa myself! I've never even minded the whole Yakuza thing in the first place! You know, this is almost worth getting called Nee-san…"

"No one is calling you Nee-san as long as I'm around!" Ren growled, the Kuroda White Tiger side of him resurfacing briefly. Yamato felt his heart rate sped up. "But really, Yamato, all you had to do was ask…"

"Of course I'm not going to ask! And to think I've said it so many years ago… Oh dammit, Ren, you're making me sound more and more like an insecure housewife!"

Ren chuckled and threaded his fingers through Yamato's messy hair. "I wouldn't dare. Not when I have a smart, intelligent, sexy boyfriend who's very capable with a scalpel and a syringe and all kinds of nasty drugs… Hey, by the way, do you think a scalpel will be sharper than a tantō?"

"Kazama-san, you will NOT be going around throwing scalpels at unsuspecting strangers! The last thing I need is for the police to suspect a psychotic surgeon running around and murdering people!"

"Alright, alright, I'll leave your scalpels alone." Ren nibbled on Yamato's collarbone. "Are we done talking, Ogata-sensei? Because I'm practically dying here." He grabbed Yamato's hips and pressed him closer to himself.

Yamato purred and shifted himself on Ren's lap. "Oh, we are far from done, Kazama-san. But since you've been such a good boy, I guess we can take a break."

* * *

An extremely sated Yamato propped himself up on one elbow to look at his boyfriend. "Ah. A love confession and two consecutive orgasms. I can get use to this." He declared contentedly.

Ren snorted. "God spare me from doctors and their medically-appropriate terminology."

"Ah," Yamato edged closer. "The Yakuza boss prefers it when his whore talks dirty, I see? What would you like me to say, _Kuroda-sama_? Do you want me to say that I'm a filthy, cum-loving, coc—" This time, it was his turn to be silenced with a kiss.

"I want my best friend, Ogata Yamato. Have you seen him lately? He's the most amazing person I've ever met. He's the kind of best friend who would face a group of bullies alone to protect me, who would sleep by my hospital bed for a month, who would swim across the Pacific for me and who would support me no matter if I join the Yakuza or sell my soul to the devil himself."

Yamato smiled. "He never left, Ren." He stroked Ren's cheek gently.

Ren pulled him into an embrace. "Then that's all I'll ever need."

* * *

The dinner with the Oedo family was lovely, although Yamato had a strange feeling that the four henchmen were tipping on their toes around him. When he refused Kuroda's offer of saké, Ren promptly said something along the lines of – _'of course Yamato doesn't have to have saké if he doesn't want to'_ coupled with a significant look; to which there were four almost inaudible murmurs of _'yes, sir'_ and two amused chuckles from Kuroda and Shin.

They were celebrating Shin's fake birthday that day. And yes, apparently Shin had both a _real_ birthday and a _fake_ birthday. Yamato supposed that the Oedo family just wanted a reason to celebrate. The hotpot was absolutely delicious. Trying to be polite, Yamato complimented Yankumi on her cooking skills; but was met with loud snorts from Shin and Ren, followed by Yankumi trying to elbow them in the sides and both of them dodging out of the way right on time. Yamato watched all of them fondly. They were truly like a family. He would never dream of taking that away from Ren.

The warm atmosphere, however, came to an abrupt end with a henchmen running through the door.

"Attack. Approaching from market square." The man panted breathlessly. "Morimoto clan. About 100 strong."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: There's a tiny hint about the progress of Shin and Yankumi's relationship in this chapter. See if you can spot it! :) **

* * *

Shin stood up immediately. "Minoru, get back-up ASAP. Summon Divisions 1 to 3, and get Divisions 4 and 5 to be on standby."

"Hee." The large man agreed hurriedly.

"Koisuke," He addressed the henchman. "Blades or guns?"

"Blades. Katanas." The man answered.

"Tetsu, Makoto. You heard Koisuke. Equip yourselves. Let's go. We need to hold the fort until back-up arrives."

"Hee." Both men were already ready to set out.

"Oyasan," Wakamatsu called out. "Please, let me help. I'll stay hidden. I can distract them." He said. His injury prevented him from moving fast, so he seldom went out to fight anymore.

Shin looked hesitant, but the gravity of the situation set in. "Alright, but stay safe."

Yamato could feel Ren tensing up beside him. Ren's body was practically shaking, probably trying to stave off the urge to join them for his sake. Yamato placed a hand on his shoulder gently. "Go." He said softly.

"No, I can't." Ren replied hoarsely, although it was obvious that he wanted to. "I promised you—"

"I'll be fine, Ren. They need you more than I do." Yamato said supportively. "Now, go."

Ren turned to look at Shin, who was watching both of them with a regretful expression. Ren and Shin's eyes made contact briefly, and Ren made his decision.

"Alright." He squeezed Yamato's hand quickly. "Yankumi?" He asked an unspoken question, the pleading and desperation evident in his voice.

Yankumi nodded. "I'll protect him, Ren. Go. Shin needs you."

* * *

Yamato and Yankumi sat together in silence. Kuroda had volunteered to be the lookout in case the fight got too near to the Oedo house. Shin and Ren had made them promise that they will flee to safety if the fight got too close; no matter what happened to the former two.

Yankumi was the first to break the silence. "I know you probably won't believe me, but don't worry too much about Ren. He's very capable of defending himself. I suppose it is relatively lucky that they chose the traditional Yakuza attack." At Yamato's confused look, she clarified. "Katanas. As opposed to guns."

Yamato nodded slightly, seeing her logic; but not feeling the least bit of luck. "Does this happen often?"

Yankumi brooded momentarily. "No, not really. Shin has intelligence almost everywhere; he usually uncovers attacks days or even weeks before it happens. This is either a very covert operation, or a very last-minute one. I would probably go with the latter."

That was interesting to know, but it wasn't what he meant. "I meant the waiting. And the worrying." He said.

"Oh." Yankumi moved to pour them some tea from the dinner table. "Well, yes, I guess. I was worried for Shin in the beginning, but after a while I learnt to trust him. Not that I don't worry, of course. You just get used to having the little nagging feeling in your gut most of the time; and learn how to concentrate on the other tasks at hand."

Yamato wasn't sure if he wanted to get use to this kind of feeling, but he supposed he had no choice. He settled into a restless wait.

"No offence, Yankumi; but I'm surprised that you stayed put." Yamato said after a while. He found it difficult to reconcile the crazy homeroom teacher who would charge headlong into a fight and this demure Yakuza wife who stayed at home waiting patiently for her husband's return.

Yankumi looked at him intently. "It's mutual trust. I trust him to come home, and he trusts me to stay safe." She paused before continuing. "Shin won't be able to concentrate on the fight if he is not absolutely certain of my safety." Here her voice dropped slightly. "The first time I tried to help him in a fight; he lost focus the moment he saw me. And a second was all it took. He took a knife in his shoulder. I never tried to help again afterwards."

Yamato winced. He couldn't imagine the feeling of knowing that you were indirectly responsible for your lover's injury.

"In due time, you'll have to learn to trust Ren too." She added gently. "He will come home to you. You are far too precious to lose in his eyes."

Yamato couldn't help but blush slightly at his ex-teacher's comment. He wondered for a moment how much Ren had told them about their relationship.

"Did it bother you at first? When you found out that we were dating?" He asked curiously. After all, Yankumi always appeared to him as an innocent lady. Or maybe that was just her teaching persona.

"Are you kidding? I absolutely love yaoi!" Yankumi grinned disturbingly at him.

Yamato shuddered. "Wipe that grin off your face, Yankumi, you look scary."

"Oh come on, tell me about it…" She begged.

"No!" Yamato yelled. "Why don't you persuade Shin to have a go with a dude or something?" He asked her.

"Nah. I don't share." Yankumi commented. "What about you?" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Your group of friends seemed really close back in high school…"

"Gosh, no! That would be too weird! They couldn't even look Ren and me in the eye for a week after we told them that we were dating." Yamato told her.

Yankumi deflated slightly. "Oh damn, that too bad then. Oh, oh, wait, I know!" She exclaimed as if she was struck by an inspiration.

Yamato knew that he should know better than to ask, but he did anyway. "What?"

"You can always get an ex to join you guys!" She had a cheshire cat grin on her face. "He will definitely be quite willing."

He spluttered slightly. "I don't think that will be very conducive to Ren and Hayato's work relationship. Plus, we don't need a threesome! Keep your weird fantasies to yourself, Yankumi!"

Yankumi was staring at him with her mouth wide open. "Hayato… You don't mean Yabuki Hayato?"

Shit. Yamato cursed himself internally. "Umm. Yeah. Him." He coughed politely.

"Wait, was he your ex or Ren's ex?"

"Mine."

"Ah."

"Ah indeed." Yamato was dying in mortification, but somehow it was funny to see Yankumi's floored expression.

A few minutes passed before Yankumi spoke again. "Anyone else?"

"I really don't see how that's your business…" Yamato said teasingly. "But no, no one else."

"Ren?"

"Huh? Oh, no; at least, that's what he told me. Too busy with Shin and all."

Yankumi bit back a laugh. "You know, I once thought that they were dating." She said, recalling the time they had brought her to Shin's old apartment.

A ghost of a smile played on Yamato's lips as he recalled a similar memory. "So did I."

"They're really close, aren't they?" Yankumi said dotingly.

Yamato agreed. "I've come to accept that Shin will always be Ren's first priority; and weirdly enough, I can't bring myself to get angry at him."

Yankumi was startled at Yamato's sudden confession. She turned to examine the young man in front of her. He was surprisingly accepting of all this. Even some Yakuza wives were not able to grasp that concept properly. She was impressed by his maturity. "I understand how it's like. I, too, have accepted that I'll always come second to the clan. Both of the boys are incredibly alike in that manner. Shin is consumed by his oath to the clan, and Ren is consumed by his oath to Shin. I don't know about you; but I for one, am proud of Shin and his devotion. A true man is judged by his word, after all."

Before Yamato could express his agreement, the door slid open to reveal Kuroda; his face greyed with worry. Both occupants felt their hearts sink.

"Kumiko, Yamato. Please prepare the beds. We have injuries." Kuroda murmured gravely. "Yamato, we're going to need your help."

"I… Of course." Yamato swallowed a large lump in his throat. Inside, his head was screaming in panic, _'How is Ren?!' _

They moved quietly and swiftly as they laid out some makeshift beds and clean sheets in the living room. Not a minute later, 3 men were carried into the room. Blood was dripping all across the floor.

"Place them here please." Yamato ordered the men. His face paled when he saw his patients. Shin. Ren. Tetsu. In increasing order of severity. Both Ren and Tetsu were unconscious. Shin was fighting a losing battle to stay awake. All 3 of them were losing a lot of blood.

"Yankumi, do you have surgery tools?" He asked, trying to keep his breathing even. _'Focus, Yamato. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.' _

Yankumi, too, seemed to be in shock as she watched the three men unmovingly.

"Yankumi!" Yamato raised his voice sharply.

"Ah. Umm, no, we don't. What do you need? I'll go see what I can find." Her voice trembled.

"Bring some clean cloth or towels. And once you're done, sterilise three small, sharp knives and some needles and thread." She hastily left the room.

Yamato turned his attention back to the nightmarish scene in front of him and forced himself to pry his eyes away from Ren to check on the rest of the prone figures.

Tetsu's heartbeat was slowing dangerously. Yamato ripped up part of the bed sheets to staunch the open wound on his head. Tetsu was losing too much blood, too fast. Yamato had a sinking feeling that Ren was not far behind, judging from the amount of blood coming from the large gash on his abdomen. But there was nothing he could do without the proper tools.

"I came as fast as I can. What are their vitals?" Yamato spun around and almost wept in relief to see Minami with an emergency surgical kit and complete first aid kit.

"I haven't gotten to Ren and Shin. We're losing Tetsu as we speak. His body is experiencing severe haemorrhagic shock and his heart is going into cardiac arrest."

"Right." Minami immediately snapped into action and unpacked the contents of both kits. "You stabilise Ren and Shin, I'll staunch Tetsu's bleeding and intubate him."

Yamato grabbed the stethoscope Minami offered him with more force than necessary. Heart thumping fearfully, he searched for Ren's pulse. It was faint, but at least it was constant. He was starting to exhibit symptoms of shock as well, so Yamato would need to sedate him as fast as possible and stop the bleeding. He checked Shin's vitals and found that his initial diagnosis was right. Shin was stable, just exhausted and weak from blood loss. All he needed was a stitching-up and a blood transfusion. Both Tetsu and Ren must have protected him with all they had.

Yamato went back to work on Ren, tears glistening in his eyes. "You hang in there, Ren. Don't you dare leave me alone!" He whispered furiously.

"Did you bring any blood?" He asked Minami, struggling to keep the hysteria out of his voice. Minami looked around for the icebox he brought with him. "I did. It must still be in the car." He said when he couldn't find it.

"What do you have?"

"3 packs of O- and 2 packs of B+. Shin is B+, Ren O+, Tetsu AB+." Minami recited from experience. Yamato knew that Ren was O+, so he would have to trust Minami on the others. They couldn't use up all the O-, in case there were more injuries.

"Okay. Start the IV." He instructed Minami. "I'll get Yankumi to get the blood."

As soon as the blood transfusions were set up, with Yankumi and Kuroda acting as the blood bag holders; they worked on the internal bleeding.

Yamato pulled on a pair of surgical gloves and a surgical mask from the kit. "Scalpel."

* * *

Both of them worked tirelessly for an hour before the open wound on Tetsu's head and the internal bleeding in his skull cavity had been cleaned and stitched. The remaining problem was that they had no means of checking for any brain injuries. If Tetsu survived the night – the operative word being _'if'_; he would have to be admitted into a hospital for a full scan.

When it was Ren's turn, however, Yamato found himself freezing up. The scalpel in his hand hovered uncertainly on top of Ren's mangled abdomen.

Minami nudged him gently. "You're the only one that can help him now, Yamato."

He looked up to see Yankumi and Kuroda watching him. They gave him a sympathetic but encouraging nod. "Is he not the reason you became a doctor in the first place?" Yankumi prompted gently.

Upon hearing that, Yamato clenched his jaw with fierce determination. He looked at Minami. "Sterilise the area. Prepare for incision."


	5. Chapter 5

**Warning: Minor character death.**

* * *

It took them close to three hours, but Ren was finally out of the danger zone. Tetsu was still hovering between the two zones, not to mention the high possibility of a brain injury. More injured men were carried in, but none as severe as the first three. Minami attended to them while Yamato stitched Shin up and kept a close watch on Ren and Tetsu's conditions for any changes.

It took over another hour or so before the last of the Oedo men slumped across the doorway of the house. It was Makoto. And – to everyone's horror – the lifeless body of Wakamatsu slung across his shoulders.

"What happened?" Yankumi asked Makoto softly. The usually stoic man was shedding silent tears.

"I'm sorry, Ojou. There were too many of them in the beginning. We fought hard, trying to separate them; but they kept swarming towards Oyasan. Obviously he was their target. Tetsu tried his best to protect Oyasan, but he got injured after a while. The moment Tetsu fell, Ren rushed to Oyasan's side. I didn't see what happened after that. Koisuke and I were on the other end, trying to force them away from Oyasan. It felt like ages before back-up arrived. Wakamatsu – he – came out of hiding and ordered some men to take Oyasan, Ren and Tetsu back to the house. Oyasan tried to protest, but he could hardly stand at that stage. With all 3 of them down, there was no one left to take command of the men. Koisuke and I didn't know what to do. So Wakamatsu took charge of the fight. He couldn't move much, but he held his ground and began barking out formations left and right. I stationed myself next to him and tried to protect him as much as I could. I really tried, but I failed at the last moment. Someone stabbed him in the chest when Koisuke and I were preoccupied with driving away the last few opponents. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have left him. I'm so sorry." His voice cracked horribly before dissolving into an outright sob.

Yankumi touched his shoulder gently. "It's not your fault, Makoto. You did a good job protecting Wakamatsu and your heroic actions have won us the fight and defended the Oedo clan's honour. I, as the representative of the Kumichou, extend my deepest gratitude to you and Wakamatsu alike. Now, come, let's bring Wakamatsu home."

They carried him into the living room. Yamato came over and re-examined Wakamatsu vitals, before hanging his head sadly. "Time of death," His voice trembled as he made the pronouncement. "12.15 a.m., 5th September 2012. Cause of death, penetrating trauma wound to the thoracic diaphragm, resulting in respiratory failure. No findings of foul play." His throat constricted tightly at the obvious lie, but he knew that he couldn't report any foul play to the authorities. Not unless he wanted his boyfriend hauled in for questioning. "Physician on duty, Dr Ogata Yamato, M.D." He concluded and walked away while Minami filled in the necessary forms.

He felt sad for Wakamatsu's death, despite only meeting the man for the first time today. A tiny part inside of him, nevertheless, was immensely relieved that the name he pronounced dead today was not Kazama Ren. He didn't think he could ever do that.

* * *

"Ren. Tetsu." A weak voice called out. Everyone focused their attention to the source of the voice.

"Shin!" Yankumi heaved a sigh of relief.

"Oyasan!" All the men, despite their exhaustion and injuries; fell onto their knees.

Shin ignored all of them. His eyes looked around frantically for Ren, before finding him on the bed next to him. He tried to get up. Yamato immediately held out a hand to restrain him. "You need to lie down for a little more, Shin. Ren will be fine, I promise."

"I'm sorry." Shin whispered raspingly.

"It wasn't your fault, Shin. Now lie back down, please." Yamato said gently. Shin, however, was not done yet.

"Wait, I need to know. The fight. What happened?" He asked no one in particular, seeing as none of his top commanders were in sight.

Makoto came forward, his eyes still red and puffy. "We won, Oyasan. But we lost a few men. Good, strong and brave men."

Shin closed his eyes in sorrow. "Who?"

Makoto rattled off a few names, until he came to the last one. "And… Wakamatsu, Oyasan."

A lone tear slid down Shin's cheek. "Wakamatsu." He whispered. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have let you go."

"Have their families been informed?" He asked.

"Not yet, Oyasan. We just got back moments ago."

Shin nodded. "Get some sleep now, Makoto. You'll accompany me to inform their families first thing tomorrow morning."

Minami placed a hand on Shin's shoulder. "Shin, you really shouldn't be moving yet."

"I have to, Minami." Shin said softly.

Yamato recognised the look on Shin's face. He had seen it many times before on Ren's face. It was a look that said duty came before self.

"Minami." He called out to his colleague. "I think that our work on Shin is done. This is no longer our area of expertise."

Shin shot Yamato an appreciative look. "Thanks, Yamato."

Yamato looked at him and tried to crack a smile, failing horribly in the process. "If you must go, Shin; then will you bring me with you?"

Shin shook his head. "I can't, Yamato. You have to stay with Ren." He looked at the still unconscious form of his brother mournfully.

"Yankumi told me that you can't fight a battle properly unless you were assured of her safety, Shin. I believe that Ren, too, will not be able to fight his current battle properly unless he knew that you were safe." Yamato said quietly, his eyes not moving from his boyfriend's pale face. "So it would benefit all of us if you allow me to go with you."

Shin swallowed tightly before giving a slow nod. "Thank you so much, Yamato."

* * *

"Ya…ma…to."

Yamato was instantly awake and on his feet. "Ren! Oh my god, Ren! Don't you ever scare me like that again!"

"Thanks…"

"What are you talking about, you silly man? It's not as if I would have left you to die, would I?"

"No… A…ni…ki."

"Oh." Yamato realized what Ren was talking about. "Did you hear us talking last night?" He asked softly.

Ren nodded faintly. "Love… you."

"And I love you too. Now rest and get better. I'll take care of Shin for you in the meantime."

Ren relaxed into an exhausted sleep.

* * *

The funerals were held together at the Oedo house 3 days later.

After a lot of pleading and cajoling, Yamato had grudgingly allowed Ren to get out of bed to attend the funeral. Tetsu was still in the hospital.

It was a small ceremony, attended only by their closest friends and families. After that, Shin had got down on his knees to apologize to Wakamatsu's wife and children. His tearful wife immediately pulled Shin back up onto his feet.

"Please don't do that, Kumichou Kuroda-sama. Hiro would not have tolerated seeing you on your knees apologizing for his death." She said softly.

Shin's eyes were shining with tears. "Wakamatsu was like a surrogate father to me, just second to Ojiisan. He was a wonderful man, and a very brave one to boot. It is truly my honour to have met a man like him."

"You were like a son to him too, Kumichou Kuroda-sama. I'm saddened by his death, but I know that Hiro would be proud that he died a heroic death. Therefore, I too, will stand proud of the circumstances of his demise. You once told us, Kumichou Kuroda-sama; that a man is like a rose. And that even after a rose dies, its fragrance lingers. I think that Hiro's actions have earned him eternal fragrance, don't you think?"

Shin nodded jerkily, touched by her words and strength. He knelt down to talk to the children. "I'm sorry for your loss, little ones. Your father was a very brave and loyal man. One of the bravest and the most loyal men I've ever known, in fact. Therefore, I hope that you will continue to remember him and his bravery even after he is long gone."

* * *

Just before they left the funeral, Wakamatsu's youngest son ran up to Shin.

"Are you Kuroda Shin, the Red Lion?" He asked, wide-eyed.

"Yes, little one. I'm Kuroda Shin." Shin answered gently, preparing for the little boy to blame him for his father's death.

To his surprise, the boy gave him a hug. "My daddy told me to grow up to be just like you! One day, I'm going to grow up and join the Yakuza, just like daddy!" He grinned toothily.

Shin felt his eyes welling up again as he returned the hug. "I'll be waiting for you, little one."


	6. Chapter 6

**Warning: Graphic YAOI smut starts in this chapter (although only for a couple of paragraphs). You have been warned!**

**Please let me know if you would like more of this, or prefer a more chaste approach like in chapter 3 where I skipped from the pre-sex conversation to the post-sex conversation. **

* * *

"I'm sorry, Yamato." Ren repeated for the umpteenth time.

"I've told you, Ren. It's fine. In fact, it's a good thing you brought me here this time. What would have happened to you guys if I wasn't here?" Yamato said softly. "Minami is not skilled enough to handle such severe injuries, Ren."

Ren touched the stitches on his abdomen gingerly. He had not realized how close he was to death until Yamato told him the full extent of his injuries. The attack was nearly a week ago now, but they were still staying at the Oedo house. Yamato was adamant not to move Ren, despite the latter's weak protests that he could heal at home.

Yamato knew that Ren had to be here. The entire Oedo family, including Ren, had been thoroughly affected by Wakamatsu's death and Tetsu's injury. Tetsu was being kept in a medically-induced coma until the severe bruising in his brain could recover; and then he would have to undergo a brain surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain. All in all, he was unlikely to wake any time before the end of November; which was another two months or so away from now. And even then, the doctors were not sure how his condition would be after the surgery. The ranks of the clan were in a mess with two of their key leaders gone. Shin was rushing in and out of meetings with his leaders and allies from morning to night, despite his body still recovering from the exhaustion it had undergone a few nights ago. Yamato knew that it was time for the Shatei to step up.

"Ren, do you think you can help Shin out?" He asked gently.

Ren looked at him contemplatively. "Will you prefer it if I didn't?"

Yamato pursed his lips, his gaze inadvertently landing on the bandages on his boyfriend's abdomen. It was a difficult decision to make, but as Yankumi had taught them long ago; it was about doing what was right, rather than what was easy. "Just come back to me in one piece. I'll fix you up as many times as you need me to." He declared.

Ren smiled. "Thank you, doctor." He got off the bed slowly, careful not to rip the stitches. He gently pulled Yamato into a hug and proceeded to kiss him senseless. That was both a good and bad move, however, depending on how you see it; because the moment Ren pulled away, Yamato felt all his control fell apart. Every emotion he had been holding up for the past week flooded him in an instant. The sudden onslaught of emotions was so overwhelming that he couldn't help but break into a sob.

Ren panicked at the sight of his ordinarily tough and unflappable boyfriend crying. "Yamato, what's wrong? Please don't cry! I won't do it if you don't want me to!"

Yamato couldn't speak. He just held on to Ren tighter and buried in face in his neck. He cried away all the anxiety he felt during the wait, the terror he felt when he saw Ren's bloodied body, the fear he felt during Ren's surgery, the helplessness he felt towards Tetsu's brain injury, the sorrow he felt over Wakamatsu's death, and the apprehension he now felt over Ren re-joining the ranks. It was just too much for him to take all at once. He might have been a delinquent; but still, he was just a man.

By then, Ren had stopped panicking and was just murmuring comforting words into Yamato's hair. At last, Yamato's sobs quieted down and the sniffling subsided.

They stayed like that silently for a long moment before Ren spoke up. "Yamato?" He asked tentatively.

Yamato refused to raise his head. "Can we not talk about anyone else, just for now? Can we go to bed, just the two of us?"

"Of course, love." Ren replied softly. He led them both to the bed and pulled them under the covers, all the while holding Yamato as tightly as he could.

They cuddled in silence until Yamato had calmed down enough to look up again. Ren pressed a gentle kiss on Yamato's lips, tasting the salty traces of tears on them. When Yamato kissed back urgently, Ren realized that Yamato still needed the reassurance that he was safe.

He laid flat on his back and pulled Yamato close to him. "I'm here, Yamato." He said softly. He brought Yamato's hand up to rest against his cheek. "Can you feel the warmth of my face?" He brought the other hand to his heart. "Can you hear my heartbeat?" He looked straight into Yamato's eyes. "I'm all here. I'm safe. I'm with you."

Yamato nodded slowly. His brain knew than Ren was there, but his heart still had its doubts. He reached out and brushed his fingers over Ren's face, relishing in the familiar contours that he loved so much. He ran his fingers down Ren's neck, finding comfort in the steady vibration of his pulse. When he reached the top of Ren's shirt, he looked into Ren's eyes; searching for permission.

Ren smiled and nodded, allowing Yamato to undress him. He made no move to touch Yamato, because he knew that Yamato didn't need to be touched. What Yamato needed now was to touch and feel him; in order to convince himself that Ren was there.

Yamato caressed every part of Ren's body slowly and lovingly, as his frightened heart began to accept that Ren was, in fact, safe and still with him. He placed a few kisses along Ren's stomach, including the top of the bandaged area. He paused briefly when he came to Ren's flaccid cock. He knew that Ren wasn't aroused, but he didn't think that Ren would be terribly adverse to a blowjob either. And Yamato thought that pleasuring his boyfriend would give him the most reassurance of all.

Ren could see the acceptance sinking in gradually in Yamato's eyes as he continued to examine his naked body. He didn't expect, however, a warm heat to suddenly enclose around his cock. He felt all his blood flowing south immediately. A small hiss escaped his lips as he arched his back into the warm cavern. God, Yamato was so hot.

Yamato was sucking happily at the growing member in his mouth. The medical professional in him marvelled at the vigour of the blood flow. It was the most precious evidence of life and health. The strange thing was, he didn't feel the slightest bit aroused. He just felt a warm, fuzzy feeling in his heart; finally 100% convinced that his boyfriend was alive and well – in fact, probably more than well at the moment, judging by the very healthy twitching of his cock. Yamato sucked even more fervently, occasionally running his tongue across the tiny slit at the top. He was determined to suck every groan, moan and gasp out of his Ren's mouth.

Ren, on the other hand, felt that Yamato was trying to suck his soul out from his cock. He threaded his fingers through Yamato's hair, all the while moaning at the sensation running through his body. He felt Yamato placed a hand on top of his own hand, pushing it down on his head. It was Yamato's way of signalling him to use more force. With the permission granted, Ren began to grip Yamato's hair and tugged at it gently, directing him to go according to the rhythm he desired. Yamato's hand came up again and squeezed Ren's hand tightly once. It was their code for _'stop thinking and just fuck my mouth_'. So Yamato wanted it as rough as possible. Ren tightened his grip and began to push Yamato's head onto his cock forcefully, not caring if he was choking his boyfriend or suffocating him. Ren lost track of his surroundings as he concentrated solely on the immense pleasure on his cock. All his foggy mind could register was the warmth and moistness of Yamato's lips and tongue. He increased the pace as he felt the signs of his orgasm approaching. His brain was completely shut off now, only caring about reaching the impending explosion at the end of the line. It was so close now, just a little more – he felt his stomach clenched familiarly and with a keen cry of _'Yamato!'_; he was overtaken by a giant wave of euphoric bliss, his cock shooting down copious loads of cum into Yamato's throat.

Ren exhaled in relief as the last waves of his mind-blowing orgasm ebbed away. "What was that?" He asked blearily after his post-orgasmic haze.

Yamato seemed to have recovered from his emotional outburst. He was himself again. "That was me trying to convince myself that you're still alive." He licked his lips contentedly.

Ren opened one eye to look at him. "I hope you don't do this to all your patients."

Yamato captured Ren's lips in a chaste kiss. "Nope, just for this particular patient."

Ren pulled him into a hug. "Do you feel better now?"

Yamato nuzzled his neck embarrassedly. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I just—"

"Shhhh" Ren hushed him. "I know, Yamato, I know. I would have broken down too, if I saw you at the brink of death."

"It's just… I don't want to imagine what could have happened if I wasn't here; or if Minami haven't brought all the supplies…"

"But the fact was that you were here, Yamato; and Minami did bring them. That's all that matters. We're all safe now, thanks to both of you. You won't go through that again, Yamato, I promise you. At least not with me."

"No." Yamato said gruffly. "I will. And I will go through that as many times as you need me to. This is where you need to be, Ren. I've promised you that I'll never make you choose between Shin and I; and I intend to keep my promise."

Ren hesitated. He really wanted to help his Aniki. He knew that Shin needed help, and while Koisuke was capable enough; he wasn't on the same level as Ren or Tetsu or Wakamatsu. But he never, never, never wanted to see Yamato cry like that ever again.

"Ren, remember what we talked about when you invited me over for dinner last week?" Yamato asked warningly. "Stop brooding by yourself. Tell me what you think. Talk to me. Don't try to make my decisions for me."

Ren sighed. "I don't want to hurt you like that ever again, Yamato. It broke my heart to see you so vulnerable."

"Tell me, Ren, when SARS hit Japan a few years ago, how did you feel with me working in the hospital every day?"

"It was horrible. I was so afraid that I jumped every time the phone rang. I was terrified that the hospital was calling me to deliver bad news."

"And if SARS or some other infectious disease strikes again, would you stop me or even try to discourage me from going to work?"

"Of course not, Yamato. I see what you're trying to say, but it's hardly the same. Your job is noble. You're saving lives. I'm doing the exact opposite. Well, not all the time, but you get the idea."

"KAZAMA REN!" Yamato snapped sternly. "Do you even hear what you're saying? Shin would have been heartbroken if he heard you just now. You of all people should know that the Yakuza is not just about killing people and committing unspeakable crimes. You say that you are proud of having a Yakuza family, proud of being Shin's Shatei; but you seemed to have forgotten its values! Where is your sense of duty and honour? If crime and death is all you're going to associate with the Yakuza, then I've changed my mind. You shouldn't come back, ever. The Oedo clan deserves a better leader."

Yamato's words stabbed Ren like a knife in his already-injured gut. He hadn't meant to imply that being in the Yakuza was dishonourable, of course; but Yamato was right. His over-protectiveness over Yamato had caused him to lose sight of the more important things. He had been so distracted by the potential dangers that he had forgotten his duty. And to think that Yamato was the one who had to remind him of that – he was ashamed, to say the least.

"I… I'm sorry." He choked out.

Yamato leapt off the bed and took out two pairs of clothes. One was a pair of slacks and a white shirt, and the other was his Oedo clan kimono. "You have 5 minutes to get dressed, Ren. Make your choice." Yamato's voice was cold and distant.

Ren reached out to grab Yamato's hand. "I've never been good at dressing in a kimono. Will you help me?" He asked, silently begging for forgiveness.

Yamato's gaze softened. "Go clean yourself up for a bit first. I'll lay out the kimono for you."

* * *

Ren fell onto his knees before Shin, fully dressed in his Oedo clan kimono.

"Forgive me, Aniki, for my foolishness. I was so blinded by the danger and distress Yamato was in, that I had forgotten my duties to you and the clan. But that is no longer the case. I have regained my perspective, and I'm ready to serve once again." Ren said.

Shin reached out to pull him up. "Firstly, Ren, it's not foolish to be concerned about your partner. It is a natural instinct for all creatures to protect their loved ones. So never apologize for that. And secondly, you no longer owe any duties to me or the clan, Ren. Your time as my Shatei has ended, with amazing results I might add; so you have definitely been released from your oath."

"I know that, Aniki. But to me, the oath has never ended in the first place. I still feel the overwhelming desire to protect you and to help you with everything you need. Please let me help you right now, even if it's only to help you re-establish a new rank. After that, I will return to the Red Lion Group or wherever you require me to be."

Shin allowed Ren's words to digest in his mind. It seemed like he needed to have a long talk with his brother about his choices and his future, but he simply did not have the time now.

"Very well. We'll talk about your future later, Ren. For now, you'll take Tetsu's place as _wakagashira_ temporarily."

"Thank you, Oyasan." Ren replied, relieved that he was accepted back once again.

"I'm always your brother, Ren. Never forget that. We're not just brothers in name; we've sworn to be brothers in bond and in blood."

"Yes, Aniki."

"Alright. For now, get Hayato to handle the company for the next few weeks until this situation settles down. A little more money won't go amiss either, since we'll be going around for a bit to meet with various parties. The next thing I want you to do is summon the Division Leaders ASAP. And then after that…"

* * *

"Yamato." Hayato greeted tiredly from his desk.

Yamato looked at his ex-boyfriend, now friend, concernedly. "Hayato, you look like death warmed over."

"Gee, thanks, you look great too."

Yamato smiled. Hayato's tongue was still as sharp as ever.

"Lots of work?" He asked sympathetically, looking around at Ren's office. He had only been here a handful of times. Ren preferred to keep his work and private life separate. Yamato supposed it was an ingrained habit; since his job involved keeping the Oedo clan and the Red Lion Group separate all the time.

"I have no idea how Ren deals with all of this. I'm up to my neck with work by 8 a.m. in the morning!" Hayato snapped in irritation.

Yamato wisely chose not to say anything. He knew next to nothing about business. He handed Hayato a bento box. "There, I've brought you some food. Nothing fancy, mind you. But Saki said that you haven't eaten lunch for the past few days."

Hayato raised a suspicious eyebrow. "And why are you checking on me through my secretary?" His lips twitched slightly before adding, "Don't tell me you're just attracted this office, regardless of who's sitting in it?"

Yamato rolled his eyes, having no desire to fall into the obvious trap. "If you must know, Saki told Ren; who told me about it. Don't worry, next time I won't bother."

"Aww, you know I'm kidding right, _honey_?" Hayato pleaded. "So how's Ren? I heard he got hurt."

"Don't call me honey, _sweetie_." Yamato smirked. Both of them could play at this game. They knew exactly how to push the _wrong_ buttons on each other. That was probably one of the reasons why their relationship didn't work out. "He's alright now; the stitches are healing nicely as we speak."

"When can he come back to work? Because I don't think I can do this much longer." Hayato whined.

"I don't know. He's busy with The Investors now. One of them passed away unexpectedly, and another is institutionalized indefinitely."

"OH." Hayato was caught by surprise. Ren had not given him much details when he called, just asked him to cover for him for a couple of weeks and to transfer some money to him immediately. He had not realised that something had happened to the Oedo clan leaders. "I see. I didn't know about that."

"Anyway, I need to get back to the hospital. I'll let Ren know that you can't cope with the workload, bye!" He left before Hayato could protest that '_of course I can handle the workload'_.

"Stupid Yamato and his stupid bento and his stupid comments that know how to get under my stupid skin." Hayato grumbled under his breath before digging into his first lunch of the week.

* * *

**A/N: So… This is just a preview of what's to come. I want your feedback: graphic sex scenes – yay or nay? If you guys prefer, I can tone it down. Let me know! **


	7. Chapter 7

"Aniki." Ren entered Shin's office. "I've set up a meeting with Tanukibara-kaichou as you requested. He will grant us an audience tomorrow at noon."

"Thanks, Ren. I guess all we can do now is wait then." Shin answered with a sigh.

Ren nodded. It had been a long week for both of them. "Is there anything else you may need?" He asked.

Shin gestured him to sit down. "We need to talk. What did you mean the other day when you said _'I'll go back to the Red Lion Group or wherever you need me'_?"

Ren furrowed his brow in confusion. He didn't see how that was hard to understand. "Um, Aniki, I meant that I will serve you in any capacity that you need me to." He tried to answer as well as he could.

Shin gave him an assessing look. "Ren, I don't want you to just do what I want you to do. I want you to do whatever you personally want to do. I gave you the Red Lion Group because I thought that it was what you wanted."

Ren gasped when he realised what Shin was thinking. "No, Aniki, I did not mean to insinuate that I don't want to manage the company! I do enjoy everything I've been doing so far. After building it up from scratch to what it is today, the Red Lion Group is like a baby to me. My only misgiving is that I can't stay by your side while I'm at it."

Shin considered the situation. "Would you like me to reabsorb the businesses back into the Oedo clan, and then allow you to manage them from within the clan?" He would rather not, of course; since there was a reason why he separated them in the first place. However, Ren's happiness meant a lot more to him.

"We both know that's not a good idea, Aniki. The risk is too high, especially now with the Red Lion Group being under public scrutiny. If the authorities realized the true extent of the Oedo clan's wealth, we'll all be thrown into jail and our assets confiscated before we can say 'run'. Plus, the separation of the assets from the clan is one of your greatest achievements; I cannot in good conscience allow all your work to be undone."

"One of my other great achievements is also acquiring a Shatei that I have come to love as a brother, Ren. I want you to be happy. I don't mind taking some risks or making some losses if it means that you can live a fulfilled life." Shin murmured.

Ren beamed at him. "Thank you, Aniki. That means a lot to me. It really isn't that big of a deal though, I just get worried about you occasionally. As long as you don't get attacked by a group of a hundred men every other day, I think I'll survive. In the meantime, I'll continue to manage the Red Lion Group. Perhaps in the future we may find a viable solution that will suit both our purposes."

Shin nodded. "I understand. Always remember that you can come to me, Ren. No matter what, when or how. And you are welcomed to come back to the clan anytime."

"Wakarimashita, Aniki."

* * *

"So, the Kuroda Brothers are reunited again, I see?" Tanukibara-kaichou commented questioningly.

"Just temporarily, Tanukibara-kaichou." Shin answered. "However, the circumstances that led to our reunion have not been pretty."

"What happened?"

"The Morimoto clan launched a surprise attack on the Oedo clan last Wednesday. We lost many men, including 2 key leaders. My _saiko-komon_ (lit: highest advisor) passed away, and my _wakagashira _is still fighting for his life."

"I see." Tanukibara-kaichou said gravely. "Will you be avenging the deaths of your men, then?" He asked sadly. Revenge had led many men to darkness. He didn't want Kuroda Shin to be one of them.

"No, sir. Firstly, revenge won't bring them back; and secondly, they died in a fight. I cannot hold a grudge against the Morimoto clan for their deaths. The Oedo clan has always abided by the principle that 'all is fair in love and war'. We, too, have killed and injured many men in our conquests."

Tanukibara-kaichou cheered up slightly upon hearing Shin's answer. He knew that this man was the next Kaichou candidate for a reason. "So what are you planning to do? Why are you here today?" The fact that they have sought an audience with him meant that they needed his consent in some form.

"I forgive them for the death of my men; but I do not forgive them for the attack on my clan. It may sound similar, but it is not the same. If I were seeking revenge, my primary motive would be retribution. But as I am retaliating in protection of my clan's honour, my primary motive is deterrence. I want both the Morimoto clan and the rest of the Yakuza to know that no one gets away with messing with the Oedo clan. Furthermore, I would have reacted the same way even if none of my men had died; so I can assure you that I am not acting for the sake of revenge." Shin said quietly.

Tanukibara-kaichou nodded. "Wise words indeed, Kuroda-kumichou. You have my permission to proceed. This might be a tad redundant seeing that it is you I'm talking to, but I must remind you to keep within the boundaries of the Code and our practices."

"Not at all, Tanukibara-kaichou. I am thankful for the reminder."

"If you do not mind a curious old man asking, Kuroda-kumichou; what do you plan to do to them? You do not have to tell me, of course, if you would rather not." Tanukibara-kaichou asked. He was quite certain that Kuroda Shin had a few tricks up his sleeve that the Morimoto clan would not be expecting.

Shin gave a small smile. Tanukibara-kaichou had become quite friendly with him ever since the Aiken-Taiyo incident. He knew that the old man wanted to see more of his potential. "Of course, Tanukibara-kaichou. I trust that this will be kept in the strictest confidence?" The old man nodded.

"We will start with economic oppression, a little similar to trade sanctions imposed by the authorities. All our divisions and allies will be asked to cease any trade, co-operation or communication we have with the Morimoto clan or their allies. At the same time, our business operations – which are controlled by my brother – will be upping the level of competition with their main businesses; even if we have to do so at a loss. The Oedo clan has many more sources of income, so I believe that we can pull it off even for an extended period of time." Ren nodded in confirmation. He had done the calculation himself.

Shin continued. "The next stage is political oppression. We will be meeting with their major allies and providing them with incentives to either switch sides or stay neutral; with a range of available options – from a permanent alliance with the Oedo clan to a low interest loan to keep their businesses afloat throughout the duration of the sanction. By this time, we predict that the Morimoto clan will be struggling financially; and hopefully, with a distinct lack of allies to fall back upon. As such, they will only be left with 2 options – either resort to a lifetime of kill, rob and steal operations; or to yield all their assets and businesses to us in exchange for a reasonable sum of money and for us to leave them alone."

Tanukibara-kaichou couldn't help letting loose a smirk, which Shin proudly returned. He had to give it to Kuroda Shin. It was ingenuity at its finest. Bringing a clan to its knees without shedding a single drop of blood. And probably much more effective too, in terms of deterrence. Most of the clans in the Yakuza were more afraid of losing their money than the lives of their henchmen. Furthermore, to have to resort to selling one's business to one's sworn enemy was considered a humiliation in the highest order. "Very well, Kuroda-kumichou. I wish you all the best in your endeavour."

"Thank you, Tanukibara-kaichou."

* * *

**A/N: Still waiting for your feedback guys - the next chapter will be pretty graphic (based on the current draft) but I kinda want to know if you guys will be okay with it. Don't want to scar you guys for life or anything like that (hehehe). **


	8. Chapter 8

**WARNING: MAJOR, MAJOR YAOI SMUT. Do ****NOT**** read if you can't stomach male/male sex. **

**A/N: I know I haven't been giving you guys a lot of time to actually respond (to my smut or no smut question), but I really want to get as much of the story out before the end of the week as I'm on a break now. So… yeah, if your answer is no; turn back ****NOW****. **

**For the rest of the ****_funjoshi_****, have fun! (wink)**

* * *

Yamato had just turned off the shower when he heard the doorbell rang. Thinking it must be Ren, he hastily wrapped a towel around his waist and dashed to open the door.

"Ren, did you forget the—" He stopped short when he realised that it was Hayato that was standing outside the door, carrying a stack of files.

"Umm. Sorry to intrude." Hayato gulped at the sight of a very wet and almost naked Yamato in front of him. "Ren asked me come over today…"

Yamato gave a small yelp as soon as he woke up from his stupor. "Ah sorry! He must have forgotten to tell me. Umm. Come in. He'll be back soon. Er, excuse me, I'll go get dressed." Yamato all but ran to the bedroom.

Hayato let himself in and closed the front door. _'Ren, you lucky sod.'_ He thought in his head. Yamato, as usual, was fucking hot – pun fully intended. From the very first time Hayato laid eyes on him, he had thought that the man was sex on legs. He was the reason that Hayato had decided to 'experiment' with his own gender in the first place. And just because their relationship didn't work out didn't mean that Hayato appreciated Yamato's body any less.

* * *

Ren was stalking through the corridor to the penthouse he and Yamato shared. He had not been home for a whole week. He was tired, irritated, worried and stressed out. Their plan was flawless, but the execution was tough. There were so many variables to consider. He had been in negotiations continuously for the past week. Some of the demands the clan representatives made were so outrageous that he wanted to rip their heads off there and then. Some of the demands were achievable, but still required the Oedo clan and/or the Red Lion Group to go out of their way to fulfill them. Seriously, what was wrong with the good, old way of negotiating with a briefcase full of cold hard cash? There were so many things on his mind that he felt like he was going to explode soon. Usually, he would have headed straight to Kurogawa and sparred with Shin for a few hours until his head cleared; but Shin was currently in a meeting somewhere in Hokkaido. Ren, himself, just came back from a meeting in Nagoya.

He slammed the door of his apartment behind him. "Yamato, strip. Now." He demanded in a harsh tone.

Yamato stared wide-eyed at his boyfriend for two reasons. One, because Hayato was in their apartment. Two, because he had never seen Ren acting so… brutishly. Ren had never brought his Kuroda Ren persona into the house. When Yamato was with him, he was always Kazama Ren – patient, loving and soft-spoken. Yamato didn't know how to react. It was as if he was looking at a total stranger.

"Umm Ren, Hayato is here…" He started uncertainly.

Hayato must have heard Ren coming in, because he was already striding into the living room.

_'Fucking hell, I've forgotten all about Hayato.'_ Ren remembered belatedly. However, he was not in the mood for another long discussion about business and investment. "Leave." He growled.

Hayato had been fully intending to leave ever since he heard Ren commanding Yamato to strip, but stopped short when he caught sight of the fear in Yamato's eyes. _'Shit, this must be new.' _Yamato looked absolutely terrified. Hayato knew he had to intervene. Ren looked like he was going to devour Yamato whole, and not in a good way.

"No." His voice hardened as he turned to face Ren.

"Excuse me?" Ren's tone was incredulous and threatening simultaneously.

Hayato stood his ground. "You're scaring Yamato, Ren."

"He knows that I won't hurt him." Ren replied confidently.

A small part of Yamato, indeed, knew that Ren would never hurt him; but the rest of his body was screaming _'RUN!'_ He knew that he didn't stand a chance to fight back at Kuroda Ren. He could only hope that Ren wouldn't do something he would regret later, like killing Hayato right this instant.

"Dammit, you bastard, look at him properly and tell me that again." Hayato snapped back.

Ren looked to Yamato for support and saw that Hayato was right. Yamato's eyes were dilating in fear, not arousal, at him. His feet were rooted to the spot, but his entire instinct showed that he wanted to run. Ren cursed himself and his infernal temper; before making to leave the apartment to cool down. He needed to put as much distance as possible between Yamato and himself now. He wondered if the Antarctica would suffice.

Nevertheless, Hayato knew that if he allowed Ren to leave right now, Ren and Yamato's relationship would be destroyed beyond repair. Ren would never forgive himself for losing control, and Yamato would never forgive himself for his moment of weakness. Ren would never find out that Yamato was not actually afraid of him; and Yamato would never find out that Ren had not meant to hurt him for a single moment.

Hayato reached out to grab Ren's retreating back. He shoved Ren into the wall forcefully and pinned him backwards; before kissing him passionately on the lips.

As predicted, Ren fought back. Hard. Hayato refused to let go, however. He knew that Ren needed to blow off steam, and he knew that Ren had wanted Yamato to fight back with his little stunt earlier. Since Yamato could not, then he would have to do it.

Yamato stared at the scene before him in shock. He couldn't believe that Hayato was trying to force Ren into submission in front of him. It wasn't that he never fought for dominance with Ren, because he always did; but the Ren he usually fought with was Kazama Ren, not Kuroda Ren the White Tiger, former Shatei and current _wakagashira_ of the Oedo clan. He winced when he saw Ren retaliated with a punch to Hayato's face – the last time he felt Ren's hook was in high school, even before he trained with Shin; and that had already hurt like hell. Yamato didn't want to know how Kuroda Ren's hook would feel like. Hayato, on the other hand, didn't flinch the slightest. It was almost as if he was expecting it. Yamato watched in equal parts fascination and horror as Hayato responded with a punch of his own. He knew that Ren could have avoided it, but for some strange reason, he didn't. Ren took the punch right in his jaw. Hayato continued to ravage Ren's lips, his pace not faltering in the slightest.

Yamato felt a spark of understanding beginning to form in his head as he watched Ren and Hayato continue to fight tooth and nail. Kazama Ren and Kuroda Ren was the same person. Neither of the two personas would hurt him; just like Ren was fighting Hayato as Kazama Ren, not Kuroda Ren, because he would never seriously injure Hayato. All Ren wanted from him was raw passion – the lust, the defiance and the anger.

Hayato felt a sigh of relief when he saw the comprehension rising in Yamato's eyes. He knew that Ren was going easy on him, but he hadn't been fighting since high school! His entire body was screaming in protest from the battering that it was currently subjected to. He violently pushed Ren's body onto his left, so that Yamato would be in his direct line of sight.

Ren's eyes connected with Yamato for a split second. All their emotions began exchanging rapidly. Fear. Guilt. Panic. Remorse. Anger. Pain. Forgiveness. And lastly, Ren's eyes sought out Yamato's permission.

Yamato hesitated at Ren's silent question. Ren was asking for permission to kiss Hayato back. They had never involved an outsider before. But Yamato also knew that he wasn't ready to fight Ren like Hayato was currently doing, despite the knowledge that Ren would never hurt him. He simply couldn't. At least not yet.

He nodded his consent. It helped that Hayato was not the type to get emotionally involved just from sex; because Yamato would never tolerate anyone else staking a claim on Ren. Luckily, Hayato was the shag-em-and-lose-em type. A small part of his brain wondered if he should ever let Yankumi know that her 'fantasy' had come true.

This time, he was absolutely enraptured as he watched Ren returned the favour to Hayato. Ren mashed his lips to Hayato with bruising force, kissing him back fervently. Their kiss was rough, brutal and ferocious; sparing no gentleness whatsoever. It was like watching two predators fight in the wild. Anyone else would have been moaning and groaning at the intense pleasure they were sharing; but instead they were growling and snarling menacingly, trying to get the other to back down.

Ren shove his tongue ungracefully into Hayato's mouth, to which the other man retaliated by biting on his tongue. Ren, however, was no stranger to pain. He persisted as their tongues fought for dominance, their saliva mixing with the metallic taste of blood. When the bleeding got too much, Ren pulled back and spat the blood out onto the floor. Hayato took the opportunity to bite down on Ren's neck, almost hard enough to draw blood.

Ren roared and returned the attack. He bit down on Hayato's ear, resulting with an angry snarl at the pain. For a long time they remained that way, interspacing the painful biting with fierce kissing every now and then. Both their shirts had been ripped off by this time, and their chests were littered with bite marks and bruises. Ren was quite sure that there were scratch lines all along their backs as well. Both of them were definitely going to wake up tomorrow morning black and blue.

He attacked Hayato's nipple with renewed fervour when the man had the gist to pull his hair. Hayato did not have time to stop himself before his hips bucked forward instinctively. Ren gave a victorious smirk. Hayato had given the first sign of submission.

Hayato, however, had no intention of giving up the battle for dominance now; even though he knew that he was fighting a losing battle. It was not in his nature to go down without a fight, and therefore he would persevere to the last second.

Ren pushed forward with the slight advantage he now held. He reached to grab Hayato's arse through the material of his slacks, but his hand was forcefully slapped away by its owner. Not willing to give up, he planted his hands right at the edge of Hayato's slacks, digging his nails into the covered flesh underneath it. Hayato tried to remove his hands again, but this time Ren reacted by pinning his hand to the wall. He shoved his free hand down Hayato's pants and grabbed his arse cheek roughly. Once again, Hayato bucked forward involuntarily at the touch. His tangled hand tugged at Ren's hair painfully for one last time, before relaxing completely and falling to his side.

Hayato had submitted.

* * *

Yamato was watching the aggressive display before him with bated breath. Both of them looked absolutely erotic as they battled for dominance. He had to give it to Hayato though, the man put up a strong fight. He saw that Ren had to gradually allow more of Kuroda Ren to surface in order to subdue Hayato. Yamato knew it was ending soon once he saw Ren drawing out the big guns. Kuroda Ren never lost. True enough, the next moment, he saw Hayato's body relaxed and submitted to Ren.

Yamato wondered if he would be allowed to join them. He was painfully hard by now. It was as if their passion had permeated into their surroundings. Throughout their battle, there was an electrical charge in the air every time the power balance shifted between them. It was incredibly arousing to say the least.

Ren turned to look at him. _'Come. Join us.'_ He invited silently. Yamato was more than happy to comply.

Both Ren and Hayato were exhausted; but Yamato, on the other hand, had just gotten started. Quickly and deftly he undressed both of them, tossing their expensive tailored slacks unceremoniously to the side. He kissed Ren gently on the lips, followed by Hayato. He knew that their lips were probably tender right now after all the savage kisses they had exchanged. He caressed their bodies lightly as he allowed them to rest and catch their breaths. He shivered at the number of marks littered across Ren's chest, before leaning forward to lick one of them tentatively.

Hayato watched Yamato tending to Ren's chest captivatedly. Yamato was now licking all the marks that he had made on Ren earlier. The thought of their saliva overlapping on Ren's muscled chest was so arousing that it felt almost surreal. Hayato wondered who would be the last submissive. He knew that just because Yamato didn't fight just now didn't mean that he submitted easily. In fact, it was less than easy as far as he remembered. He had always wondered who was the dominant and who was the submissive in Ren and Yamato's relationship. It looked like he was about to find out.

Yamato's attention was still fixed on Ren. For a moment, Hayato felt like a third wheel; before realising that he was, in fact, a third wheel. It didn't bother him emotionally though; all he cared about was getting some action, preferably before sometime next week. He crawled over to Yamato and began undressing the man, all the while watching Ren carefully out of the corner of his eyes to make sure that he wasn't crossing any borders with his actions. Ren simply laid back and watched, so Hayato proceeded with his mission.

Yamato knew that he was neglecting Hayato, but he simply couldn't pull himself away from Ren. Not before he had finished worshiping the god-incarnate among mankind. He was relieved when Hayato finally stopped waiting and approached them himself. If the man had continued to wait for Yamato to be done, he would be waiting until tomorrow at the very least, if not forever.

Ren watched as Hayato undressed Yamato slowly, admiring the lithe body. Ren privately agreed with Hayato's assessment. Yamato was sexiness personified. He recalled all the times he had jerked off to the image of Yamato's half-naked body when the latter was in America. He didn't even need to imagine what he would do to the man, or what the man would do to him. Just the mental picture of Yamato's body was enough to send him over the edge. He saw Hayato wavering sightly, uncertain of his position in the spontaneous threesome. Ren was pleased that Hayato did not simply assume that Yamato would be a submissive. He would have been infuriated if anyone had dared to judge Yamato like that. He had promised Yamato that they would be equals; and Ren never allowed himself to forget it for a single second for the past 5 years. Even earlier today, he only made that demand because he honestly thought that Yamato would fight back.

Ren took pity on Hayato. He reached out a hand and grabbed Yamato's ass, resulting in a loud moan. He ghosted a finger over Yamato's quivering pucker, but made no move to touch it. He pulled his hand back.

Hayato got the message loud and clear. Yamato will be submitting. He wasn't sure if it meant to him or to Ren, but it didn't matter for now. He enthusiastically inserted a finger into Yamato's tight hole just as Yamato took Ren's cock into his mouth.

Yamato froze slightly when he felt the breach to his entrance, but he knew that Ren had given his consent, so he tried to relax into the preparation. He turned his attention back to the delicious cock in his mouth. Ren's length was rock hard. _'Who wouldn't be,'_ Yamato thought privately, _'after that mind-blowing prelude?'_ He let loose an inadvertent moan when Hayato's slim fingers brushed against his prostate. He fought against the urge to thrust back into Hayato's fingers. It would not do to desire another man's touch other than Ren.

Yamato's moan send the vibrations from around Ren's cock straight to the tip of his spine. He hissed in pleasure. He was additionally thrilled to see that Yamato was trying not to react to Hayato's stimulation. He knew that Yamato wanted him and him alone. But since Hayato was here today, Ren thought that they might as well made the most out of it. He pulled his cock out of Yamato's mouth, secretly lamenting the loss; but stayed focused on what he was trying to achieve. He looked straight into Yamato's eyes to send a silent instruction.

Yamato's eyes widened at the revelation. Ren wanted Hayato in the middle. Not that Yamato was terribly opposed to the idea, merely taken by surprise. With Hayato wedged in the middle, it effectively meant that both of them will be having sex with another person; which was an unprecedented move. But he guessed that Ren wanted to make the most out of the situation. It was the businessman's way of thinking – to tap every possible benefit from a given situation.

Ren pulled Yamato and Hayato up. He didn't mind the living room floor, but he knew that it would be very uncomfortable for Yamato. So he dragged them into the bedroom and deposited both of them onto the bed. He didn't join them, however, opting instead to stand back and watch.

Hayato panicked slightly when he felt Ren yanking his fingers out of Yamato's tight passageway and onto his feet, but then relaxed when he saw that he was leading them to the bedroom. He realised that it probably meant that Yamato will be the ultimate bottom, because he knew that Ren wouldn't have cared less whether he was comfortable or not. His heart skipped a beat in anticipation. They were going to make a Hayato sandwich!

Yamato felt a wave of gratitude when he felt the soft comforter sinking underneath him. It was the little gestures like this that showed that Ren truly cared for him. He saw that Ren was waiting, so he snapped into action. After all, Ren had given him a very good show earlier on, it was only fair that he returned the favour. He pulled Hayato on top him, but in a 69 position. Without any delay, both of them took each other into their mouths. The resounding moan was simultaneous. Yamato's moan sent a jolt of pleasure to Hayato's cock, while Hayato's moan did the same to Yamato's cock; forcing out another moan and so on. Both of them were lost in mutual pleasure until Yamato felt a bottle pressed into his hand. He opened his eyes and saw that Ren had handed him the lube.

Fighting off the distracting pleasure on his cock and the feeling of Hayato's hard cock still in his mouth, he reached upwards and began to prepare Hayato.

Hayato mewled in pure pleasure as every part of his body became occupied. The sensation was absolutely sinful. Both his mouth and arse were being filled by Yamato's cock and fingers respectively, while his own cock and fingers were buried deep down Yamato's throat and arsehole. Hayato knew that he would be jerking off to this memory for a long, long time.

Ren watched them in satisfaction. He knew from experience that the position was incredibly pleasurable, but then when he and Yamato did it, one of them did not have to be prepared. He wondered if there was any difference. He would have to ask Yamato to try it out again in the future.

Hayato and Yamato prepared each other diligently, all the while revelling in the hot, slippery warmth surrounding their cocks. It was all they could do not to buck their hips into the inviting cavern. They both hoped that Ren would join them soon.

Ren did not think that he could get any more aroused, but he was proven wrong. The picture of Hayato and Yamato both curling in submission, controlling their urges for him; was so sensual that Ren almost came at the sight.

He waited until both of them were trembling with need before climbing on the bed. In an instant, they jumped apart and assumed their respective positions. Yamato rolled onto his front and raised his hips, and Hayato entered him with one swift thrust. They both stayed still, however, waiting for Ren to complete the picture.

Ren relished at the sight of their eagerness. He pushed his engorged cock into Hayato's waiting hole. He moaned at the tightness of Hayato's ass. Yamato must have prepared Hayato to be tighter than usual for him; and with his increased arousal, it felt like Hayato's asshole was squeezing his cock to an inch of his life.

Hayato felt his asshole burn at the intrusion. Either Yamato had deliberately underprepared him, or Ren was more aroused than usual. Or maybe both. It was a delicious burn however. He was thankful that Ren allowed him time to adjust.

Yamato was smirking into the bed. He had, indeed, prepared Hayato less than he should have. Ren always prepared him thoroughly when he bottomed, despite his protests; not wanting to cause him any amount of pain. Therefore, Yamato thought that Ren deserved a special treat with Hayato. Plus, it wasn't as if Hayato wasn't already hurting everywhere else after that violent 'scuffle' with Ren earlier.

After a few seconds, Yamato wiggled his bum slightly, testing the waters. Hayato groaned, the pain disappearing instantly from his mind. He began to thrust gently into Yamato, drawing a gasp from Ren behind him. Soon, he felt Ren, too, thrusting into him. Hayato almost fainted from the double dose of pleasure. The harder he bucked against Ren, the harder he was thrusting into Yamato. It was an infinite loop, similar to the experience he had with Yamato just now, only a hundred million times better.

Yamato could feel both Hayato and Ren thrusting into him repeatedly, until they managed to acquire the same rhythm and began to thrust as one. Yamato screamed in pleasure. Hayato and Ren were fucking him so deep that he could almost taste it in his throat. The combined force of their pounding was driving Hayato's cock into hitting nerves within him that he had never even knew existed. His entire body felt like it was on fire from the intense stimulation.

At the same time, Yamato's pleasured screams were doing unspeakable things to Ren's libido. He thrust into Hayato even harder, both from the incredible arousal and the mounting desire to pleasure Yamato more. Hayato's tight passageway was unrelenting, almost as if it was trying to swallow Ren whole. Ren pulled himself all the way back before slamming into Hayato with amazing force, eliciting a shout from both men underneath him.

Yamato was begging now. "More, please. Hayato, Ren. More!" He was desperate for release. "I want to cum just from both of you fucking me."

Both men were more than happy to fulfil his desire. This time, when Hayato felt Ren pulling back, he pulled back from Yamato as well; and then slammed into Yamato at the same time as Ren slammed into him.

Yamato's eyes rolled back in pleasure. His scream turned into a babble of obscene, incoherent, begging noises. Both men groaned simultaneously at the erotic picture that Yamato presented. They slammed into him over and over again, now at an unrestrained pace. All of them were so close that they can practically taste the sexual tension in the air. Nothing else mattered now other than achieving their own releases.

Ren's hoarse whisper of _"Cum for us, Yamato"_ finally sent Yamato spiralling over the edge, just as he yelled _"Ren!_" and spilled his seed all over the bed. The contraction in his stomach inadvertently caused the walls in his ass to clamp down on Hayato's cock mercilessly, which in turned sent the man in the middle to his release. Ren had known that it was coming; but even then, no warning in the world could have prepared him for the almost-lethal contraction of the already-tight channel around his cock. He came with a loud cry as Hayato's ass milked out every bit of cum from his cock.

All of them slumped on top of each other in exhaustion as they rode out the remaining shocks of pleasure. Ren could feel all three heartbeats thumping loudly from the exertion. As soon as he was able to regain some semblance of consciousness, he pulled out his spent cock from Hayato and rolled over. Hayato, too, gently removed himself from Yamato and got off the bed. He knew that he was no longer welcome, at least not in bed.

Ren pulled the boneless Yamato into his embrace. He looked at Hayato. "Take the couch. Business tomorrow."

Hayato nodded gratefully. He didn't think he could make it home in his current condition. He didn't even bother to clean his cock or the cum in his ass, only barely managing to stagger onto the couch and immediately fell into an unconscious sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Yamato woke up to someone nuzzling his neck tenderly. "Ren." He said with a sleepy smile.

Ren stopped moving and looked up at him. "Yamato. I—" His voice cracked and he found himself unable to continue.

He took a deep breath and tried again. "You know, when I saw you cry last week, it broke my heart. At that time, I didn't think that there would be anything worse than that, but I was wrong. When I saw the fear in your eyes yesterday – at me – I wanted to die, Yamato. I've never felt like such a monster in my entire life. I'm so so—"

"Don't say it." Yamato interrupted. "No, YOU listen to me, you silly tiger. I wasn't afraid _of _you, I was afraid _for _you! I was afraid that you were going to do something you would regret later. While I admit that I had thought that you were going to hurt me – I know that isn't true now – but even then I wasn't afraid of the pain. I was afraid of what would happen when you realized what you have done. It's all moot now though, since you weren't going to hurt me in the first place. I'm the one who feel sorry, for thinking so badly of you. And yes, I know that you disagree with me, so I won't apologize for that; as long as you don't apologize for what you did as well."

Ren brooded for a while. "Fine. Then I won't apologize. But I insist that we come up with a safe word from now onwards. Something that will stop me in my tracks immediately if I ever make you feel uncomfortable or frightened ever again."

"We don't need that, Ren." Yamato caressed his cheek lovingly. "I know that you will never hurt me."

"Please, Yamato." Ren pleaded. "At least give me the peace of mind. Or else I'm going to be second-guessing myself every time we're together."

Yamato sighed. "Oh, alright then. So what will it be? Red, yellow and green, like the BDSM system?"

Ren considered it for a moment. "No. I want something that will work outside the bedroom as well. And if it's going to be something that puts a full halt on me, it has to be something that we will never mention in normal conversations."

Yamato arched an eyebrow. There were plenty of things that they would never talk about, like the latest collection of Coco Chanel or the political structure of Madagascar. However, he didn't think that he would ever remember that. The last thing he needed in an emergency was go through a list of ridiculous fashion trends or obscure countries. How could you remember something that you never talked about?

Finally an idea struck him. "What about full-cream milk? We both know I'm lactose intolerant, so we don't buy, keep or drink milk. It is unlikely that we'll ever have a conversation about specific types of milk. And it carries some meaning too, because it is actually harmful to me."

Ren chuckled in amusement, but agreed with the suggestion. "Weird, but I like it. It's easy to remember, and innocuous enough. You can even warn me in public without drawing any unwanted attention. Full-cream milk it is." He leaned over for a gentle kiss, before climbing out of bed and getting dressed.

"Where are you going?" Yamato asked with a small frown.

"You do remember that there was another person here last night right? And that he didn't come here just for a threesome, however mind-blowing it was?" Ren teased.

Yamato blushed slightly as the memory resurfaced. "Oh, Hayato is still here? Where did he sleep? On the couch?"

Ren nodded. "Go back to sleep, Yamato. I'll see you in a bit."

* * *

Ren was relieved to see that Hayato was already dressed and seated at the kitchen table, intently studying one of the files he brought.

"Morning." He greeted simply.

Hayato looked up. "Morning." There was no mention whatsoever of last night's activities.

Ren sat down. "So, brief me on what's happening."

* * *

Yamato finally got out of bed two hours later. He walked to the kitchen for some juice and saw that the two men were deep in discussion.

"Do you think we can get a deduction for the interest of the loan?"

"Yes, as long as you can establish that the interest is a revenue outgoing, even though the loan itself is a capital expense…"

Yamato shook his head. It was like they were speaking in a foreign language.

Ren sensed his boyfriend walking into the kitchen and looked up from his work. "Good morning, Yamato."

Hayato muttered an inaudible greeting, not bothering to tear his eyes away from the complicated calculation he was currently engaged in.

"Good morning, Ren, Hayato. Everything going well?" Yamato asked concernedly.

Hayato mumbled something else under his breath that sounded either like fluent French or a choice expletive. Ren ignored him. "Everything is fine." He said kindly. "Are you hungry?"

Yamato hesitated. He was absolutely starving, but Ren looked busy. And he didn't want to intrude on his work.

Ren smiled. "It's okay Yamato. We can resume our work later. I'm hungry myself, and I'm sure Hayato is too."

Hayato finished his calculation and drew two lines under the final figure he obtained. "Who wouldn't be hungry," He declared grumpily. "After all that physical exertion last night, followed by an even more intense mental exertion in the morning? I swear Ren, you don't pay me enough." He threw his pen down in frustration.

Yamato blushed bright red at the reminder while Ren chuckled. Yamato always blushed so prettily. Ren had lost the ability to blush a long time ago, courtesy of Kuroda Shin's training.

Hayato, too, was secretly pleased to see the pink spots on Yamato's cheeks. He looked adorable.

"Stop ogling my boyfriend." Ren snapped half-jokingly and half-warningly. That, however, just made Yamato blush even harder.

Yamato was annoyed that his cheeks betrayed him so easily. Especially when compared to mister-I-don't-blush-at-anything Ren. "Do you think I can ask Shin to teach me how to stop blushing?" He asked hopefully.

Ren gave him a pained look. "Trust me, Yamato, you don't want that." He changed the topic abruptly. "Is Italian okay?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Warning: MORE SMUT! Oops. I promise, they all have some story value in them (to show the progress of the relationship, hidden desires etc). I try not to write PWPs. **

**I promise I'll stay off the sex scenes for the next couple of chapters (hahahaha). **

* * *

"So," Hayato started the conversation as they ate in a private dining room. Just because Ren felt better than he did yesterday didn't mean that he was in a hurry to be accosted by random strangers, so private dining it was. "What's all this business about blushing?"

"Ren can't blush." Yamato said matter-of-factly.

Ren chuckled. "You make it sound like I have a disease. I assure you that I can blush. Quite convincingly, if I might add."

"Okay. You cannot make Ren blush if he does not want to." Yamato amended. "And when he does want to, he can fake a blush at the most innocuous things."

Hayato's interest was piqued. "Really?" He asked curiously.

Yamato's eyes glinted mischievously. "Well, I challenge you to make Ren blush. If you win…" He trailed off, trying to come up with a suitable prize.

"If I win, Ren has to file his tax return himself." Hayato suggested cunningly. "His bloody impossible, illegal-money ridden tax return."

Ren smirked. "Very well. Give me your best shot."

"No holds barred?"

"Nope."

"Okay. Umm. Describe your most embarrassing experience."

"I was caught by my sister with a vibrating dildo up my ass." Ren said with a straight face, popping a gnocchi into his mouth.

Both Hayato and Yamato blushed slightly at the mental image of their very recent dominant in that position.

"Who's the weirdest person you've ever had a crush on?" Hayato tried again.

"I had a crush on my evidence law lecturer in university. He was at least fifty years old and as bald as an eagle. I still don't know what happened to my brain at that time." Ren shrugged nonchalantly.

"I heard you shared a room with Ryu in university. Have you ever had naughty thoughts about him?"

Ren raised an eyebrow. "Not consciously. I had a wet dream once though."

"Describe the dream." Hayato said immediately.

Ren had a feeling that the last question was asked out of perversion rather than as part of the challenge, but he acquiesced anyway. "I dreamt that I was charged with first-degree murder, and Ryu was my defence lawyer. The judge was Yankumi – yes I know how ironic that sounds but it was a dream so don't ask me why – and she told me that I will be acquitted if I had sex with my lawyer in front of her. I declined, because I didn't want to use Ryu to achieve my own selfish ends. Surprisingly, the shy and quiet Ryu came up to me and told me that he would do _anything_ to make sure that justice is served. And right in front of the entire courtroom, he climbed into my lap and started to kiss me passionately, tongue and all. Then he reached under my prison shirt and started to tweak my nipples teasingly. I moaned and leaned into his touch, desperate to touch him; but couldn't move because my hands were still in handcuffs. He grinded his ass on my crotch, and I felt myself growing inexplicably hard for him; despite my earlier protests. Suddenly my clothes vanished and I was lying naked on my back; except for the handcuffs around my ankles and wrists." Ren paused, noting the lack of cutlery noises from his two lunch companions. They had stopped eating and were staring wide-eyed at him; both mirroring similar tents in their trousers.

Ren chuckled slightly, deliberately eating another gnocchi as slowly as he could just to prolong their suffering. He had to admit that Ryu was good-looking; but really, both of them were turned on just from that?

He continued after a while. "Where was I? Oh yeah, naked and handcuffed. So I couldn't move right? The next thing I know, his thin lips were spread around my cock, swallowing me whole in his mouth." Hayato let loose an involuntary gasp. Ren smirked even more. He was embellishing the story, of course. There was no way he could have remembered such tiny details. He wondered if Ryu would ever forgive him if he ever found out about this.

"Well, as you know, his mouth _is_ pretty small; so you can just imagine the tightness of it, especially with his teeth tucked behind his lips. I almost came just from the first suck. But he stopped me from cumming by tugging on the base of my cock. 'You have to last long enough to fuck me, Ren.' He whispered in my ear conspiratorially. I have left my coherence far behind at that point, so I just nodded meekly. My freedom was hanging on my ability to control myself, after all. Then he said, 'I probably should stop tempting you, Ren, but you taste so good. I can't seem to help myself from sucking your cock.' And so the sweet torture went on and on for me. I had to resort to reciting the multiplication table in my head just to stop myself from shooting cum down that tiny throat of his." Hayato's face was flushed with desire, lost in imagination. Yamato looked jealous, which Ren found extremely cute. After all, he had never thought of Ryu that way. It was just a one-off dream. He have had countless more with a particular dark-haired doctor in them.

"Finally, by the time I got to the 12s, he stopped attempting to suck me to an early grave – or prison, in this case. He caught my eye, making sure that my attention was affixed on him; and began to strip slowly. Inch by inch, his smooth, fair skin came into view. It was absolutely perfect. His body had no scars or blemishes of any kind. It was like watching the statue of David coming to life. However, I was in for another surprise from our usually unassuming friend when he pulled down his pants. He had a purple plug already buried in his ass. Keep in mind that the scenario was a courtroom murder trial and that he was wearing his full litigation robes." Hayato's breathless panting showed that he, indeed, had pictured the entire scene in his mind.

"So he came up to me and said 'Look, Ren, I prepared myself just for you.' I couldn't say anything. I simply stared at him with my mouth opened. I wanted to bury my cock in there so bad; but his ass was so lean and narrow that I was almost afraid that I was going to break him. He removed the butt plug and put it in my mouth, forcing me to taste the most sacred part of him. And while I was distracted with that, he lifted himself up and impaled himself on me in one go. I almost fainted from the pleasure. The butt plug was smaller than I was, so his asshole was still pretty tight. My body was still restrained, so I begged him to move, PLEASE. He gave me a cheeky grin and began to ride my cock. Three tries later, he finally found that sweet spot inside his tight passage, and moaned loudly at the sensation. 'Your cock feels so good inside me, Ren.' He exclaimed. 'I think I can cum just from riding you.' He added. And he rode me, hard and fast. He rode me so furiously that our bodies were making obscene noises from the constant slapping of flesh. The friction from his tight passage was heavenly; they were rubbing my throbbing cock six ways to Sunday. I could feel my orgasm approaching now, so I told him that. 'Cum for me, Ren.' He said. "Fill me to the brim with your hot cum." As he spoke, he clenched his inner walls as tight as he could around me – and boy did I come hard. I practically repainted his inner sanctum white. And true to his word, he came just from the stimulation of my cock alone, shooting his cum all over my stomach and even some on my face. I licked up whatever I could gather with my tongue. He tasted as sweet as nectar. That was the last thing I remembered before I woke up." Ren concluded his dream without a single blush, smirking openly at Hayato.

"Shit, Ren." Hayato swore. "I know that you did that on purpose. Be right back." He threw down his napkin and rushed to the toilet for a much needed release.

As soon as the door closed behind Hayato, Yamato jumped onto Ren's lap. "What's this about Ryu, Ren?" He asked enviously.

Ren laughed. "I made up half of it, silly. I'm not interested in Ryu. Look, I'm not even aroused. I just wanted to rile Hayato up. He seemed pretty interested in his straight best friend, huh?"

Yamato, on the other hand, was quite turned on by Ren's storytelling skills. He grinded his arousal against Ren desperately.

Ren immediately unbuckled Yamato's pants and took his boyfriend's erection into his hand. "Mmm." Yamato purred in approval as Ren brushed a finger against the tip of his cock. "Good that you're not interested then. And yes, Hayato did seemed a little too into the story. Are you sure Ryu is straight? Maybe Hayato can convert him."

Ren pulled the foreskin back gently, watching the pearly drop of pre-cum sliding down mesmerizingly. "As a pencil. But yeah, you never know the possibilities."

"Ren…" Yamato arched his back into the touch as Ren started to pump his erection enthusiastically.

"Yes, Yamato? Do you want to tie me down and ride me to completion too? Because you can, you know?" Ren murmured in his ear. "Or do you want me to tell you about the one I had where you strapped me down to your operating table and have your wicked way with me? That one's my favourite, Yamato. I think about it all the time. You would wear nothing but a surgical apron and gloves, leaving your arse fully exposed to the elements. And then you would use all your fancy surgical tools to probe me in every hole – my arse, my mouth, my ears, my cock… You would use the same KY jelly reserved for your patients on yourself; stretching your own arse hole with your long, talented gloved fingers. And you would climb onto the table…"

Yamato moaned at Ren's skilful ministrations and vivid narration, but held out a hand to stop him "I can't, Ren. The staff is going see the stain on the carpet." He whispered reluctantly.

Ren didn't care, they were in one of his restaurants anyway. But he knew Yamato would rather not, so he lifted himself up and placed Yamato on his seat. He knelt before his boyfriend to take him into his mouth. "So cum in my mouth, Yamato. I'll clean you right up and there won't be any traces."

Yamato hesitated but finally gave into the warm heat that was Ren's mouth. Ren expertly sucked and licked and swirled his tongue around him, and before he knew it, he was shooting his cum down Ren's throat. Ren swallowed every single drop of cum and proceeded to lick his limp cock clean, before tucking it into his pants and dressing him up again.

Ren grinned. "I must compliment the chef. The… dessert here is simply exquisite." He winked at Yamato, who just smirked into his half-eaten plate of pasta.

Hayato came back looking absolutely relaxed. He must have had a really good wank. Or two. Ren grinned at him mischievously. "So, Hayato, ready to file my tax return? Or would you like to have another round in the bathroom?"

Hayato glared at Ren, but there was a slight tinge of pink in his cheeks. It seemed like Ren had caught onto his weakness. Ren – 1, Hayato – 0.

"I'll file it by next week."


	11. Chapter 11

Yamato woke up feeling a little disoriented and sore from sleeping tied to a hard-backed wooden chair. He squinted his eyes in the darkness. Where was he? Why was he being tied down? Right at that moment, his memory started rushing back. He was just leaving the hospital at dawn, after being on call the whole of last night. He was obviously exhausted, and therefore wasn't paying close attention to his surroundings. The last thing he remembered was the stench of chloroform… SHIT.

"Are you awake, doctor?" A gruff male voice asked suddenly.

Yamato was startled. "Where am I?" He asked politely, not wanting to risk angering the unseen man.

"Nowhere you need to know about. Don't worry doctor; I'm not going to hurt you… if you co-operate."

"What do you want from me?" Yamato asked, trying to keep the fear out of his voice.

"You're a surgeon, right?" The man asked.

Yamato's eyes were gradually getting used to the dark, and were now able to make out a faint outline of a tall man. "Tell me where am I first." Yamato demanded.

"Why you—" The man raised his hand and Yamato braced himself for the impact, but it didn't come. The man lowered his hand, sighing exasperatedly. "Look, it really is better if you don't know. If you did, I'd have to kill you."

Yamato stared at him in disbelief.

"Now, are you a surgeon, doctor?"

Yamato nodded minutely.

"Good. I have a patient for you, doctor. You better save him…" _or else_ was implied in his tone.

Yamato gulped both in fear and annoyance. This man was one of those people who didn't understand that doctors were not miracle-workers. Some patients were just too far gone to save, regardless of the doctor's abilities or best-intentions.

"So what's it gonna be, doctor?" The man demanded impatiently.

Yamato rolled his eyes internally. It wasn't like he was given much of a choice. "I'll try my best." He gave his standard answer to all his patients and their families.

The man rose as if to say something, but thought better of it. He untied Yamato and nudged a gun into his side sharply. "I'd really rather not use this, so you better not think about escaping."

Yamato looked at him and swallowed thickly before nodding once to show that he understood.

The man brought him to the next room, which was slightly brighter than the first room he was in, but still heavily dimmed. Yamato made out an old man in an orange prison jumpsuit on the bed. A wave of panic rose in his throat. This man was a prison escapee! That was why they had to kidnap a doctor to treat him!

The panic had obviously shown on his face, because the man spoke again. "No one will know. I won't ask for your name, so I won't be able to give you away even if they interrogated me. Can you please help us?" There was a tinge of desperation in his voice.

Yamato gulped. "I… I need more light." That was all he said.

The man nodded and bent down to speak to the patient. "Oyasan, I'm going to have to turn on the light for the doctor. Please keep your eyes shut."

Yamato almost fainted. Yakuza! He didn't mind his boyfriend's part-time occupation and his family, but that didn't mean that he was fond of the rest of the Yakuza. Whilst the Oedo clan was principled and honourable, there were also many other unscrupulous clans around.

Suddenly, light flooded the room. Yamato blinked repeatedly to adjust to the brightness. As soon as he could see properly, he examined the patient before him. The man had been shot in the shoulder and the gut; and had a deep, nasty gash across his right calf. Yamato had a bad feeling about the gash and the gut wound.

He looked up at the man. "Do you have a surgical kit?" The man nodded and pointed to a corner. It was a store-bought kit, not as sophisticated as the ones Minami brought _(stole, actually, but that was just a small technicality)_, which were the official kits used in war; but it would suffice.

Yamato took a deep breath. "I'll have to wash my hands before I start."

"Why?" The man narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously.

Yamato felt like rolling his eyes, but refrained out of self-preservation. "To minimise contamination. Any bacteria on my hands can cause an infection during the surgery."

The man wavered, as if he wasn't sure if he should believe him. Finally he relented. "Fine. This way, but no funny business." He waved the gun threateningly. Yamato bit back a sharp retort. What _funny business _was he going to do, drown the man by splashing him with water?

Yamato washed his hands and pulled on the disposable surgical garb haphazardly. He wasn't sure which strings went with what; and where they should be tied. He had always had a nurse to help him into his surgical garb. Somehow – probably highly motivated by the gun pointed at his back – he managed it after a brief struggle. He pulled on a mask and a pair of gloves and picked up a scalpel; only to feel the gun nozzle digging into his back harder than ever. "You better be careful with that knife, doctor." The man said warningly.

Yamato did not reply. He made a small incision on the patient's gut. The sense of foreboding hit home when he saw the tinge of green in the patient's blood vessels. "He has blood poisoning. Do you have a supply of blood?"

"What? Who poisoned him? Was it the prison guards? Those bastards!" The man yelled in anger.

Yamato flinched at the outburst, but calmed down a little when he realized that the anger was not directed at him. _'Yet.' _His traitorous brain supplied helpfully. "No, it's from foreign bacteria. My best guess is that gash on his leg. It was caught on the prison's barb-wire fence, was it not? The rust on the fence can cause blood poisoning."

"How do you know that?" The man asked suspiciously. "How do I know if it's not from you not washing your hands properly? You practically confessed it yourself just now, that you could be bringing bacteria into him."

"Yes, I could have." Yamato tried to keep himself from snapping. Inexperienced residents were one thing, but this stupid Yakuza thug was testing his patience on a whole new level altogether. "But even then it would not have festered so fast. Almost his whole body is infected now. Do you have blood or do you not?"

The man bit his lip. "We do not. Is it important?"

"Yes." Yamato said shortly. This man was obviously not too bright, so he better not go into details of medical conditions. "He will die without it."

"I'll send someone to get some." Yamato had a feeling that he didn't want to know how they would achieve that.

An hour later, Yamato had removed the bullet lodged in the patient's shoulder and sterilised the gash on his calf. He dared not remove the bullet stuck in his spleen without a proper supply of blood.

Three men rushed into the room with a large icebox. There were five packets of blood. One was more than enough, but they probably didn't know that. Such a waste of precious blood, Yamato lamented silently. He noted that they were all A+. They must know their leader very well if they knew his blood type from memory.

"So, his blood type is A+ right? Are you sure about that?"

"What blood type?" One of the men asked.

Yamato felt like smashing his head into a wall. "You have to match the blood supply to the recipient's blood type. There's AB, A, B, and O. All 4 variations have positive and negative types. If you didn't know his blood type, then you should have gotten O-. That's a universal donor."

"How would we know that?" The other man spat.

"Yeah, we thought A+ meant that it was the best!" The third man added.

_'God save me from idiots.'_ Yamato thought to himself. He would sooner die from frustration than a gunshot if this went on.

"Can't you just use this anyway?" The man with the gun asked. He seemed the most in control out of them all, but Yamato knew that that could change in an instant.

Yamato shook his head. "No. If it is incompatible, his body will reject it and shut down. Meaning he will die. Slowly."

The man massaged his temple in frustration. "Why didn't you guys just get one of each type?" He asked the three henchmen who just came in.

"I wanted to do that, but then Kazu said to just get the best!" One of them said.

"Hoi!" The man named Kazu immediately jumped to his own defence. "I asked if you knew the difference, and both of you agreed that A+ was probably the best!"

"No, that wasn't me; that was Tako!"

"Why, you lying little bugger!"

"ENOUGH!" The tall man interrupted. "Go back and get some more."

The three men shuffled nervously. "Umm. Waka, we… accidentallytrippedthealarm."

"What?" The tall man – which Yamato now knew as the _wakagashira_ – asked. Yamato felt a pang of longing for hisown _wakagashira_.

"We. Umm. Tripped the alarm before we left. By accident."

"You idiots!" The _wakagashira _snarled.

"How do you know that the doctor isn't lying anyway? Maybe the blood is perfectly fine and he just wants to kill Oyasan and blame us for it!" One of the men suggested.

The _wakagashira_ turned on Yamato. "Is that true?" He asked menacingly.

"No!" Yamato replied hurriedly. "It's true. You can ask any doctor what's the significance of blood-typing."

"Stop using difficult words, doctor. We can't understand half of the things you say."

"I mean, you can ask any doctor how important it is to match blood types."_ 'Or any self-respecting high-schooler_. _Even I knew that in high school.'_

"Why can't you just try a little bit and see if it works?" Another man piped up.

"I can't." Yamato tried to explain. "Once the wrong type of blood goes in, I won't be able to take it out again. And the patient is too weak to be subjected to testing."

"Can you try it on us?" The _wakagashira _asked.

"Are any of you his biological brother or son?" They shook their heads. "Then I can't. Even if you were, there would still be a 50-50 risk that it will be incorrect."

A soft buzzing filled the air. All of them immediately cocked their weapons in search for an intruder.

"Umm. That's my phone. It's in my pocket." Yamato answered, not daring to move a muscle in the face of the 4 guns.

"Turn it off." The _wakagashira _commanded.

"It's my brother. He gets a little paranoid at times; he might go to the police if he can't get hold of me. Can I just tell him that I'm out drinking or something?" Yamato asked slowly.

The _wakagashira_ looked pensive for a moment. "Fine. But put it on loudspeaker. And if you dare breathe a word…"

Yamato nodded tersely. He had no difficulties imagining what would happen. He pressed the loudspeaker button on his phone.

"Mushi mushi?"

"Yamato, where are you?"

"Ren, I'm just grabbing a bite with some colleagues. Don't worry." He looked up. The _wakagashira_ nodded approvingly at him.

Yamato continued. "I won't be back for breakfast, so don't wait up. And you don't have to buy the milk either."

"What milk?"

"The full cream milk I asked you to buy yesterday. But it's okay, since you don't remember anyway. I've got to go now, bye."

* * *

Ren hung up the phone, feeling pure terror rushing through his veins. As soon as he managed to shake himself out of his stupor, he snapped into action. Panicking would not help Yamato.

His first call was to Shin. "Aniki, Yamato is in trouble. I don't know what or where."

To his relief, Shin did not even doubt him for a second; despite his lack of concrete details. "I'll get someone in the police force to trace his cell now." The call was cut off abruptly.

Ren immediately took off his business suit and changed into a pair of khakis and long-sleeved shirt, packing tantōs into every imaginable crevice of his clothes. He also threw in a couple of guns for good measure.

The phone rang. Shin had called back. "Shed 9, Pier 4, Aiken Harbour. Word of caution – it belongs to Tarou Masakura of the Makai clan. And the Makai clan's Kumichou just escaped from the top security prison at the Aiken-Jigu border last night."

"Do you think the two incidents are related?" Ren asked worriedly.

"I think that we can never be too careful. Jigu is too far, so you'll have to seek back-up from Aiken. I'll get Taiyo Wataru to send some men and seek an emergency audience with Tanukibara-kaichou to prepare for the possibility of confronting the Makai clan."

"Thank you, Aniki."

"Be careful, Ren."

* * *

Taiyo Wataru had kept to his word and sent 50 of his best men to Ren; with strict orders to obey the Oedo clan's _wakagashira_ unquestioningly.

They swarmed into Shed 9 from all sides, startling all of its occupants; including the mentally-frayed surgeon. Nevertheless, his eyes gave a relieved expression the moment they met Ren's worried ones.

The Makai clan's men, however, was not about to surrender. "Kuroda!" The _wakagashira _spat. "What are you doing here? This is a private property and a private meeting! You have no right to barge in here like this."

"On contraire, Tarou Masakura," Ren addressed the Makai clan's _wakagashira_ smoothly. "I believe it became my right when you kidnapped a _katagi_."

Tarou Masakura immediately grabbed Yamato to be used as a human shield. "How do you know that he's a _katagi_? Is he someone you know?"

Ren gazed at him uncomprehendingly. "No, I was just making a wild guess. If you were desperate enough to challenge the Yondaime of the Oedo clan in front of the entire Yakuza, I thought that you would be desperate enough to break the Code as well. I just made a lucky guess. You were the one who gave away who the _katagi_ is though." Ren purposely stared at Yamato without a speck of recognition in his eyes.

"We won't harm him. Just leave us alone, will you?" The desperation was obvious in his voice. He knew that they did not stand a chance with 50 men. Heck, they would not stand a chance even if Kuroda Ren had come alone. He had seen the man fight at the installation ceremony 5 years ago.

"What do you want from the _katagi_?" Ren asked.

"I just need some help." Tarou Masakura shifted slightly, trying to hide his Oyasan from Ren's view.

Ren, however, didn't need to see the patient to guess what was happening. He knew his boyfriend's occupation after all. Even if he didn't, the surgical garb was a dead giveaway.

"Don't bother, Tarou. I heard about your Oyasan's inglorious escape already. Looks like he made it out worse for wear, didn't he?" Ren taunted nastily. "I'll cut you a deal. You release the _katagi _and I'll take my men and go our way."

Tarou Masakura jammed his gun at Yamato's throat again. "Concerned, aren't we?" He smiled sinisterly. "I'm afraid I'll need the _katagi_ for the time being. He consented to helping us, so you don't have authority to interfere as long as I don't harm him."

The leader from Taiyo clan stepped forward to whisper something into Ren's ear.

Ren nodded tersely and gave Tarou Masakura a predatory leer. "Tarou, Tarou, Tarou. You should have taken my very generous offer at the first opportunity. Too bad that offer has expired. Do you want to know what my ally leader has just told me? You remember our good friend, Tanukibara-kaichou, of course? Well, our good friend has just given me the green light to punish the Makai clan for breaking the Code. And my punishment is this: a life for a life. You can take the _katagi_, if you hand over your Oyasan."

"NEVER!" Tarou Masakura growled.

"Very well, then all of you – except the _katagi_ – die." Ren said simply, raising a hand to wave his men forward.

"Wait!" Tarou Masakura yelled. "If I release the _katagi_, will you spare my Oyasan?"

Ren smirked triumphantly. "You release the _katagi _AND hand yourself over to the Oedo clan," Tarou Masakura started to protest, but Ren held out a hand to stop him. "In return, I will let your three henchmen go without repercussions and oversee the treatment of your Oyasan at the Oedo clan's medical facility. This is my final offer. Take it or leave it."

Tarou Masakura slumped his shoulders in defeat. "I accept." The Oedo clan had much more resources than they did. He was not surprised that they have their own medical facility.

"Good choice." Ren noted. "Washida, take him to the Oedo clan's custody. I'll deal with him later. The rest of you guys, work with the doctor. Move the patient to our facility without injuring him further."

* * *

"Are you alright?" Ren asked Yamato worriedly once they got into the car. He ran his hands all over Yamato to check for any injuries.

"I'm fine, just a little shaken. Thanks for coming, Ren." Yamato whispered.

Ren pulled him into a tight hug. "I will always come for you, Yamato. Don't ever doubt that."

Yamato nodded. "Well, let's go. I have a gut feeling that your 'medical facility' involves only me and a surgical kit."

Ren laughed. "Indeed. But he fell for it hook, line and sinker."

"Can you get Minami or a nurse to help me? It's hard to do everything by myself."

"Yamato, I can even get you a legion of servants just to wash and dry your feet. All you ever need to do is ask."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Just so you know, my medical knowledge is close to non-existent. Everything I say about medicine or the human body is made up; so please take it with a pinch of salt, thank you very much. **

* * *

Ren stood back and watched Yamato and Minami work on the Kumichou of Makai clan. Yamato had a look of absolute concentration on his face. His movements were neat, precise and certain. Blood and sweat did not bother him a single bit; he simply asked Minami to pass the gauze to stop the blood flow or to come around and help wipe the sweat off his brow. It was breathtaking to watch him work.

"He's one of the best, you know." Minami said to Ren, after Yamato had left for a much-needed nap.

_'That's my boyfriend.'_ Ren smiled proudly. "Really? Tell me more about his reputation at work. He insists that he's just average whenever I ask him."

Minami chuckled. "He's definitely way beyond 'just average'. His skill is in great demand. He has been getting job offers from all over Japan and even overseas. I know for a fact that his _alma mater_ in America offered him a job at their hospital about a year ago. They were willing to pay him at the expatriate rate, and even to provide him with a house and a car. He turned them down. Our hospital is voluntarily paying him three times the usual rate just to make sure that he stays with us. They will probably give him the sky if he asks for it."

"Hmm, why is he in such great demand?" Ren asked curiously. "I mean, I know that he is the most amazing person I've ever met; but my opinion is obviously biased. Why do all these hospitals want him?"

"You probably can't tell because he's the only surgeon you've seen at work. But let me show you." He pointed at the area where Yamato had made the incision on the Makai clan's Kumichou. It had been sewn shut, of course, but the straight red line was still visible. "This is the length of the incision. Just a little over 4 inches. The area he was working on underneath is this wide." Minami gestured a circular area about the size of a ramen bowl.

"Oh." Ren realised with a jolt. The incision was only about half the diameter of the circular area. That was very impressive indeed.

"Yeah. You see it now, right? A good surgeon would have had to make a 6-inch incision at least, whereas an average surgeon would have had to make the incision a full 8 inches or more. I think he was being less considerate with this patient, though. He would normally just need 3 to 3.5 inches. But the highest incision-to-affected-area ratio I have ever seen was with you, Ren. He barely nicked your skin but still managed to mend your entire abdominal area. That surgery should rightfully be on the cover of a medical journal somewhere."

"Really?" Ren was dumbfounded.

"Ren, you were at the brink of _death_. You had laceration wounds all over your stomach, pancreas and liver. You almost lost a kidney. About half of your major arteries in that area were totally or partially severed. Did you really think that it was normal to be able to get out of bed just after three days? Or Shin, who got out the next morning itself? Both of you are warriors, I'll give you that; but you're not Wolverine. No one heals that fast."

"So the smaller the incision, the shorter the recovery period?" Ren tried to make sense of what he was hearing.

"The idea is minimal invasion, but you're close. It increases your recovery rate because your body can concentrate on healing the actual injury, rather than whatever collateral damage inflicted by the surgeon en route to his destination. In addition, our internal organs are generally quite well protected by layers upon layers of fat and muscle. By not damaging the external 'casing', our body also retains its ability to function on the outside even when the internal damage is still undergoing healing. Now you see why he is in such high demand. Who wouldn't want a surgeon who can bring you from an inch of death to an alive and kicking Yakuza boss in three days?"

Words failed Ren. He couldn't believe that Yamato had downplayed all of that! What was that man thinking, wasting away his talent in a small hospital in Japan? He belonged on a raised pedestal somewhere in New York or London.

"Maybe, but that's not what he wants." Minami replied, causing Ren to realize quite belatedly that he had been thinking aloud. "He wants to be here, working in a quiet hospital and living a quiet life." He shot Ren a knowing smile.

* * *

Ren went to wake Yamato up from his nap 3 hours later. He watched the sleeping form of his brilliant boyfriend wistfully. Had he been holding Yamato back all this time?

"Are you trying to wake me up by staring at me?" A sleepy voice asked. "Or are you just practising your x-ray vision on me?"

"I didn't realize you were awake." Ren said with a smile.

"I wasn't. Your x-ray vision woke me up. Apparently it tickles a little. You would have to practice some more." Yamato joked.

"Damn. Minami lied to me. He told me that I wasn't a superhero. Turns out I am though, if you were to be believed." Ren joined Yamato in bed for a cuddle.

"Aww, Ren, are you saying that you trust Minami more than me? I'm hurt." Yamato pretended to sulk.

"I do indeed. Especially when it concerns one Dr Ogata Yamato." Ren said sternly.

Yamato groaned. "What has he been telling you? He must be exaggerating."

"He said the surgery you did on me belongs on the cover of a medical journal."

"Ren, your birth belongs on the cover of a medical journal. Your perfect existence itself is a miracle of life."

"Flattery will not get you out of this, I assure you, Ogata-sensei."

"That reminds me, I need to check on my patient."

"I know you don't really care about him. After all, you did cut the poor man half an inch more than you needed to." Ren said teasingly.

Yamato couldn't help but grin back in return. "So Minami told you that much?"

Ren reached out to hold his hands. "Yamato, please answer me honestly. Am I holding you back?"

"Honestly?" Yamato asked him. "Are you sure you're ready for an honest answer?"

Ren nodded.

"No regrets?" Yamato pressed on. "Even if you have to accept my answer without any objections?"

Ren nodded, feeling slightly apprehensive now.

"Okay. Honestly… Of course you are not holding me back, Kazama Ren." Yamato broke into a grin. "Do you still remember why I became a doctor in the first place?"

Ren thought for a moment, recalling the day Yamato told him about his ambition. _"I felt so helpless watching a friend fight for his life. It felt like you were slipping away from us, and there was absolutely nothing we can do. Then I remembered Shin – although I didn't know who he was then – attending to your injuries at the scene. I wanted to be able to do the same thing."_

Yamato smiled, seeing that Ren did remember. "It was for you and everyone else I cared about, Ren. It doesn't matter how good of a surgeon I am – if I cannot help the people that I love, then there is no meaning to my skills." He murmured softly, reaching out to examine the scar on Ren's abdomen. It was almost gone by now.

Ren planted a kiss on Yamato's head. "You, my love, are the most amazing person I've ever met."

"Good, glad we're on the same page then." Yamato answered cheekily. He rolled on top on Ren. "Now, do you want to check out my other skills? I have it on good authority that they're _very_ good." He whispered seductively.

"Hmm. That depends. Whose authority are we talking about first?"

"Oh, you know. Just some high-ranking Yakuza boss. No one you should be concerned about."

"Oh now you're in for it!" Ren growled playfully, rolling over so that he was on top. "No one calls me '_just some high-ranking Yakuza boss'_ and gets away with it!"

* * *

"What do you think I should do with Tarou Masakura?" Ren asked, absently twirling his finger through a small strand of Yamato's hair.

"I don't know. Change his name? We both seem to have a tendency of being held hostage by people named Tarou." Yamato said jokingly.

"Don't joke about that." Ren said. "You have no idea the terror I felt seeing that gun pointed at your neck."

Yamato kissed Ren lightly. "I'm sorry. But if it helps, he wasn't going to kill me initially. You know, before you got there."

"Not helping, Yamato." Ren grunted.

Yamato laid back on his pillow. "Just don't kill him, okay? I don't want it on my conscience."

Ren looked at his boyfriend amusedly. Yamato's just-shagged look was beyond sexy. "Tsk tsk… I'm the one wielding the knife and you're the one complaining about your conscience?"

Yamato laughed. "That's because I'm warm-blooded and you're cold-blooded."

"Mmm. I'll keep that in mind. Next time don't cuddle up to me when you're feeling cold at night." Ren teased him gently.

"Nah. Then I'll just say that I'm trying to warm you up."

Ren smiled. "You do that then." He said fondly. "Would you like to go back first? I'll get someone to send you with the car."

"Well, I was thinking… You saw me at work today. Can I see you at work too?"

Ren stopped breathing. "You want to watch me punish Tarou Masakura?" He asked incredulously.

Yamato nodded uncertainly, torn between curiosity and nervousness.

Ren pursed his lips. "Very well." He would have to think about less painful methods of torture.

* * *

Ren sat in the middle of an empty meeting room waiting for Tarou Masakura to be brought in, while Yamato sat half-hidden in a dark corner at the back of the room. Punishments were usually conducted in the detention cells – a warehouse about 3 blocks away from the Oedo house that had been converted into a makeshift prison – but there was no way he was bringing Yamato there. Ever.

A knock sounded on the door. "_Waka_, we've brought Tarou Masakura."

"Very well, bring him in." The door slide open and a man was shoved in violently. His hands were tied behind his back.

"How's my Oyasan?" He asked sullenly.

Ren raised an eyebrow. "Keep up that attitude and you'll never know."

Upon hearing the threat, Tarou Masakura immediately fell to his knees. "I'm sorry, Kuroda-sama. I have overstepped my boundaries. Please see fit to punish me according to my sins."

"And what exactly are your sins, Tarou?" Ren asked patronizingly.

"I've kidnapped an innocent _katagi _and threatened his life. I also used him to protect myself when I found that we were being attacked."

Ren nodded sagely. "I see. What do you suppose is just punishment for that, Tarou?" Both of them knew that it was a trick question.

"I defer to your infinite wisdom, Kuroda-sama."

"Ah, very good. I like your eloquence. It seems like you become a little smarter when your life depends on it. I heard that you didn't learn about blood types until today, Tarou." Ren said snarkily. "Perhaps we should do some trial-and-error on you? So that you know what happens when you use the wrong type of blood, of course?"

Tarou Masakura shivered. The doctor had told him that you would die with the wrong blood type.

"No," Ren changed his mind. "I can't kill you. Your Oyasan has incurred quite a hefty medical bill. He's fine now, by the way. But we had one of the best surgeons in Japan work on him, you know. That's going to cost us."

Yamato held in a snort.

"We'll compensate you for the entire cost of the medical expenses, Kuroda-sama. Just name your price."

"Really? Then I set the price at 100,000…" Ren smiled sinisterly. "USD."

Tarou Masakura sucked in a breath. That was equivalent to about 10 million yen. "I… understand. We will pay for it."

"I'm not finished yet. 100,000 USD from your_ personal _account, Tarou."

Tarou Masakura's eyes widened in horror. Kuroda Ren wasn't joking. "I do not have that much… Kuroda-sama."

"No worries! How much do you have?" Ren asked cheerfully.

"Maybe around 5 million yen at most." He said quietly.

"Okay. Bring me whatever you have, and the Oedo clan will lend you the rest."

Yamato didn't understand what Ren was doing; but Tarou Masakura obviously did, judging from the severe blanching on his face. "I understand, Kuroda-sama. I will bring you the money at first opportunity."

Ren nodded. "Untie him." He commanded. "You may leave. Your Oyasan will not be treated like a prisoner, but he will not be released until you've come back with the money. Oh and one last thing, Tarou; as far as the Makai clan is concerned, the treatment did not cost anything. If I find out that you are reimbursed even a single cent… Let's just say that a life of poverty will be heaven in comparison."

* * *

"That was strangely anticlimactic." Yamato commented when they finally got home.

Ren laughed. "Oh, trust me. Financial torture is my specialty." _And the only thing safe enough for you to witness._

"How is that torture? I thought you offered to lend him the money?" Yamato asked confusedly.

"I did, but we did not agree on an interest rate, security or penalty for defaulting." Ren pointed out.

"Oh." Yamato had not realized that the lending was not gratuitous, as he was used to with his friends. "So… You offered to become his loan shark… So that he would have enough money to pay you… So that you will release his Oyasan?" Yamato tried.

Ren smiled at Yamato. "You are very intelligent, Ogata-sensei."

"That's… horrible. But totally ingenious." Yamato was stunned at the revelation.

"Thank you. The money will be yours, by the way." Ren said nonchalantly.

"No thanks." Yamato shuddered. "You can keep it."

Ren looked at him strangely. "You do know that most of the things we own, including this penthouse, are paid with blood money, right?"

Yamato laughed and kissed him on the nose. "That's not it, Ren. You have Hayato, I don't. Can you imagine me marching up to my financial planner and say, _'By the way, I treated a prison escapee in my Yakuza boyfriend's house last weekend; who then proceeded to threaten the prison escapee's second-in-command for consultancy fees… so here's 10 million yen. Can you please file it for me by the end of the month?'_ For some reason I can't imagine any of it going well with either him or the tax office."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Random filler chapter with the old crowd, just because I thought it might be a little boring with just Ren/Yamato all the time. Some innuendos and references to sex, but more of a funny variety.**

* * *

"So, how are you guys?" Honjo started the ball rolling.

"I got kidnapped last week." Yamato said calmly, sipping on his 'magical coffee'. It had become a running joke for them to visit that maid café every so often.

"WHAT?" Four voices chorused in shock.

Yamato grinned. "Some Yakuza thug kidnapped me outside the hospital and forced me to treat a prison escapee at gunpoint. Then another Yakuza thug attacked and caught all of them, and then continued to make me treat the prison escapee at another location."

"That's horrible of them. OUCH! What was that for?" He glared at Ren.

"I'll have you know that the second Yakuza thug paid Yamato 10 million yen for his 'services'."

"Huh, why would a Yakuza thug do that?" Kamiya asked confusedly.

Ichi tapped his fingers on the table thoughtfully. "You're the second Yakuza thug Yamato is referring to, isn't it?" He guessed.

Ren grinned at his ex-sidekick. "As usual, Ichi is the intelligent one." He threw a dirty look at Kamiya.

"Hey, how was I supposed to know?! Yamato said 'Yakuza thug', not Ren!" Kamiya argued.

"Kamiya, I've been in the Yakuza for 8 years. Stop automatically assuming that 'Yakuza thug' equals 'bad guy'!"

"Oh, shut it, you two." Kura scolded. "Yamato, stop making Ren sound like the bad guy. Kamiya, stop speaking before you think. Ren, stop putting words in Kamiya's mouth when you know that he doesn't mean it. Now, everyone, apologize!"

"Sorry." All of them murmured contritely.

Kura smirked. "Ah. That felt good. Never thought that I would end up scolding both my high school leaders one day."

Ren and Yamato grinned at him. All of them knew that they weren't leaders and sidekicks anymore, just a group of friends on equal footing.

"Okay, so what else is new?" Honjo continued.

"Kamiya, what are you modelling for now?" Yamato asked.

"Uhm. Some hair gel thingy, some sports label and some fancy schmancy facial product from Korea."

"Are you saying that you don't even know the products you're endorsing?" Yamato frowned.

Ren, too, shot him an odd look. "Aren't you supposed to be using those products? I mean, consumers are buying it just because you said that they're good!"

Kamiya laughed guiltily. "No, it's all scripted. Oh come on, I've been modelling for at least 5 different brands of facial products this year. If I changed my facial foam every time I switched endorsement contracts, I'd probably end up with a disfigurement!"

"Well… I suppose if you put it like that…" Ren conceded.

"I've got a whole closet just full of samples and whatnots at home by the way, feel free to come by and take whatever you guys want anytime." He winked. "Except for Mr CEO. He can buy his own stuff."

Ren rolled his eyes.

"How's your company doing, Ren?" Ichi asked.

Ren sighed. "Busy as shit. I'm handling both the company and the clan now." He leaned back and massaged the bridge of his nose to get rid of the impending headache. "I barely have time to poop. Maybe I should just stop eating altogether." He joked.

Honjo beamed at him. "And you still came out to spend time with us! I never knew that you loved us so much!"

"I don't." Ren said dryly. "This time is reserved for Yamato. He simply chose to share me with all of you."

"Oi!" Kura and Ichi yelled at him. Ren grinned at them.

"Seriously, guys. Keep the love to the bedroom, will you?" Kamiya asked gloomily.

Yamato laughed. "Just because you can't get any doesn't mean that the rest of us should hold back, Kamiya!" Kamiya's current modelling agency had a strict policy that prohibited any form of dating throughout the entire duration of his employment contract.

Honjo snickered at his best friend. "Wait till I tell you guys about the chick I met last week…"

"What does she sell; fishballs?" Kamiya asked snarkily.

Honjo was unperturbed. "Hmm, you may be right, Kamiya. She does have a real talent with balls…"

Kamiya whined in distress when his jibe backfired. He hadn't gotten _any_ action, on his balls or anywhere else, ever since he signed up with this agency two years ago. It was driving him insane. "Shut up."

Ichi joined in the conversation. "Oh, two days ago, a girl gave me her number when I took her order. I haven't called her yet though… She's totally your type Kamiya, long curly hair and narrow hips… Would you like her number? Oh wait, nevermind."

Kamiya made another unhappy noise and covered his ears with his hands.

Seeing as Kamiya's ears were covered, Yamato decided to give him a live show instead. He pulled Ren towards him and started kissing him passionately.

"Alright, alright! Stop it already!" Kamiya snapped at them sullenly. "Go have your promiscuous sex lives while I suffer in celibacy during the prime of my youth." He covered his face with his hands.

All of them laughed.

"You know," Ichi said slowly, looking at Ren and Yamato. "This is really random, but you two are really sweet." He gave them a small smile.

Kura stared at his best friend as if he had just sprouted a pair of pig ears. "Dude, what's gotten into you? I mean, not that I don't agree, of course…" He quickly added at a look from Ren. "It's just that… We don't say this kind of stuff, you know?"

Ren understood where Kura was coming from, and he too was curious about Ichi's sudden declaration; but he simply could not pass the chance of riling his friend up. "But Kura, Honjo just described a girl playing with his _balls_. Isn't that a lot more taboo than what Ichi said?" He asked innocently.

"Yeah." Yamato piped up. "So, according to this logic, Ren and I can talk about our sex lives; but we can't talk about how much we love each other?"

Everyone blushed bright red immediately. "Oh my god, guys!" Honjo huffed, covering his ears. "We so did not need to hear that!"

Yamato smirked. "But, I want to talk about people playing with my balls too, Honjo!"

Honjo looked absolutely horrified.

Ren chuckled and covered Yamato's mouth with his hand. "Yamato, you're going to scar him for life."

Honjo shot Ren a grateful look, only to take it back when Ren added, "But you can talk to me about your balls anytime."

The three other men groaned. "Ichi, look what you have done!" Kamiya accused.

Ichi shrugged. "That's Kura's fault. I just said that they look sweet together."

Ren and Yamato smiled at him. "Thanks, Ichi. That meant a lot to us." Their friends might have accepted that they were together, but this was the first time one of them had positively endorsed their relationship.

"If I agree with Ichi, will you promise not to ever mention your… bedroom proclivities in front of me ever again?" Kura asked.

Ren and Yamato exchanged a mischievous glance. "Of course, Kura."

"Okay, I was weirded out at first. I mean, it's not every day that you see your two best friends – whom you have always assumed to be straight – kissing each other right? But over the years, I too have realized that you two belong together perfectly." Kura said sincerely.

Ren nodded. "Thanks, Kura." He said before his eyes glinted roguishly. "Now I don't know the type of girls you have been dating, but they must have been really boring if you thought that all sex was confined to the bedroom…"

"REN!" Kura wailed in dismay. "I don't ever want to go to your apartment ever again!"

Yamato grinned. "It's okay, Kura. The dining table is safe… for now."

Kura, Honjo and Kamiya choked back a tortured sob.

* * *

**A/N: I absolutely love this chapter, even though it makes almost zero contribution to the storyline. :D (hint: except the dining table bit, hehehe.) **


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I use Ogata-sensei in conversations, but Dr Ogata in the narrative text. I don't know, I just think Dr Ogata sounds better in those contexts. (shrugs)**

**Warning: Smut. Sorry, couldn't keep my hands off Ren and Yamato for more than three chapters (teehee). They're just so adorable! I honestly think that Season 3 was just full of unresolved sexual tension.**

* * *

Dr Ogata Yamato stalked through the hospital corridors darkly. The usually cool and aloof doctor was obviously in a bad mood. So far, he had snapped at 5 interns, 3 nurses, 2 residents and an anaesthesiologist.

The entire hospital staff was bewildered. Dr Ogata had always been a pleasant enough co-worker, even if he didn't talk much or display his emotions openly. And despite being a brilliant surgeon, he had always been patient to a fault with the residents under his guidance. Every intake of residents would flock to him at first opportunity, partly because he was the consultant that was least likely to verbally abuse them for their incompetence; and partly because they were attracted to the tall, dark and handsome surgeon.

"Did something happen to Ogata-sensei?" A paediatric nurse whispered to one of the surgical nurses at the nurse's station.

"Shhhhh!" The surgical nurse immediately shushed her up, darting a quick look around to make sure that the person in question was not within earshot. "We don't know. He was fine this morning, until he came to collect the charts for his afternoon rounds. The three of us were chatting while we worked, and out of a sudden he just started yelling at us for _'idle chatting'_. I pointed out to him respectfully that we were not idle as we were, in fact, doing our jobs. I mean, organising files doesn't require that much concentration right? And he was like, _'does your job also involve fantasizing about potential husband candidates who doesn't even know of your existence?'_ which was just downright mean." She whispered furiously.

The paediatric nurse cupped her mouth in shock. The question _'Ogata-sensei said **that**?'_ was evident on her face. She scrunched up her face thoughtfully. "Maybe he's jealous."

"Of what?" The surgical nurse asked blankly.

"Well, maybe he's jealous of _you_ fantasizing about potential husband candidates." She explained.

The surgical nurse blinked. "You can't be serious…"

"Yes! I think Ogata-sensei has a crush on you!" The paediatric nurse giggled excitedly.

"Oh my god, no way!" The surgical nurse gasped. All of the nurses had been flirting shamelessly with the enigmatic doctor ever since the day he arrived at the hospital. Some had thrown suggestive glances, while a few had come right out to ask him for a date; but all of their advances had been politely rejected. To think that Dr Ogata was interested in _her_! She wondered if she should sneak into the bathroom to put on some make-up.

"Anyway, who were you fantasizing about when Ogata-sensei overheard you?" The paediatric nurse asked eagerly. "Maybe I can fantasize about him instead, now that you've gotten Ogata-sensei."

"Who else? The Most Eligible Bachelor in Japan, Kazama Ren."

"Whoa, no wonder Ogata-sensei got so riled up!" She whispered conspiratorially. "Who can stand being compared against such a perfect candidate? I heard that he became CEO at the age of 22."

"No kidding. He must be incredibly smart, and rich beyond imagination. And with such handsome features too! The Cosmopolitan magazine said that there's a strong possibility that he would become the youngest billionaire in Japan within the next 5 years if he continues his current streak."

"Shit. And he's still single?"

"Duh. It's called the Most Eligible _Bachelor_ for a reason, Mina." Her expression turned dreamy.

"NURSE FUJITA, is there a reason why the x-rays I requested an hour ago is STILL. NOT. HERE?" A low growl sounded from behind them.

Both of them paled drastically upon recognising that voice.

The paediatric nurse made an escape post-haste. "Ah, that reminds me, Murata-sensei asked me to collect some x-rays too. See you later, Yuki. Good day, Ogata-sensei."

The surgical nurse, too, was startled by his presence; but belatedly remembered what her friend had said. Gathering her courage, she batted her eyelashes innocently at the handsome doctor. "I've sent word to the Radiology Department, Ogata-sensei. I'm not sure why they haven't been delivered."

To her disappointment, Dr Ogata did not seem the least bit affected; at least not in the way she was hoping for. "Well, unless your eyelids have some amazing superpower to produce the x-rays I want, I suggest you stop standing there like a stroke victim and go fetch them yourself." He said scathingly before stalking into his office, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

A long day later, Yamato finally got home. His mood had grown considerably worse throughout the day. It wasn't just the surgical nurse. Almost the entire population of singles in the hospital, both staff and patients alike, were panting like dogs in heat over the Most Eligible Bachelor; who really wasn't eligible at all – at least, if Yamato had a say about it.

Ren was home early, for once. Yamato hoped that it wasn't because he had another business appointment or some other event to attend, because he was not going to let Ren out of his sight tonight.

"Ren. Strip. Now." Yamato growled.

Ren looked up from his newspaper amusedly. "Well, hello to you too." He teased, but obeyed his boyfriend's instruction.

Yamato felt his anger abate slightly as he watched Ren shed his jacket, followed by his tie, cufflinks and shirt, and lastly his slacks and briefs together in one go. Yamato ran his eyes over the firm flesh on his boyfriend's naked body. His entire body was toned and well-built from his physical training. The faint scars on his body stood out proudly like spoils of war.

"Like what you see?" Ren winked at him.

Yamato descended upon him in an instant, pinning him down on the dining table. He kissed Ren possessively, staking a claim on what was his and his alone.

Ren laughed silently. So this was what it was about. Yamato must have seen this month's Cosmopolitan magazine.

Ren let loose a moan as Yamato's lips began to nip and tuck skilfully along his strong jawline. He could smell Yamato's unique scent mixed with sweat from a long day's work, coupled with a faint tinge of antiseptic from the hospital. He savoured the aroma contentedly. This was his man. Not a school boy, but a fully-grown, matured, hardworking and intelligent man. Ren wouldn't trade him for the world.

Yamato trailed a line of kisses across Ren's collarbone, delighting in the wonderful moans that were coming from his lover's mouth. Yes, _his_ lover. Not Japan's bloody Most Eligible Bachelor.

Ren slipped a hand under Yamato's scrubs to touch the hot body underneath, but was slapped away by Yamato.

"Nuh-uh. Not until I say so, Ren."

"Yes, sir."

The meek reply sent a jolt straight to Yamato's cock. Oh, Ren was the perfect lover. He was the perfect dominant as well as the perfect submissive. He was, after all, trained both to lead and to obey.

"Do you want me, Ren?"

"Yes, sir. Very much, sir."

"What do you want from me?"

"I would like to touch you, sir."

Yamato pretended to consider the request. "Hmm. I do feel a little warm. You have my permission to proceed. However, take care not to ruin my scrubs."

Both of them laughed at the joke. They both knew that Yamato's scrubs were provided by the hospital, and were made out of cheap, inconsequential material. Ren's thousand-dollar tailored suit, silver cufflinks and silk shirt; on the other hand, had just been flimsily discarded 5 minutes ago.

Ren caressed Yamato' body lovingly, taking care to pay extra attention to all the sensitive spots on his boyfriend that he knew existed. He kneaded Yamato's flesh gently, trying to ease the tension out of them. Yamato melded into the touch, allowing himself to bask in the attention bestowed by his lover.

Ren's fingers moved deftly and expertly, first tending to Yamato's shoulders, followed by his torso, hips, thighs and calves. Ren saw that Yamato was getting more and more aroused as he continued. Yamato's cock was standing erect, ready to be admired and worshiped the same way as the rest of his body. Ren crawled up to Yamato. "Can I taste you, sir?"

Yamato looked at Ren fondly. "Yes, Ren. Pleasure me."

Yamato's hips bucked instinctively when Ren closed his mouth around his cock. "Oh god, that feels so good, Ren."

Ren did not reply; simply hummed in endorsement of his statement. The low vibration sent an additional wave of pleasure to Yamato. "Oh god. Just like that, Ren."

He thrust gently into Ren's mouth. Another thing that made Ren such a perfect submissive was that he had iron control over his gag reflex. Ren did not even flinch at Yamato's actions, simply relaxing his throat to take him deeper.

Yamato moaned in bliss. Ren's mouth was such a sinful cavern. He sped up his thrusting, although he kept them as shallow as he could. He could feel the tension building up in his stomach. "Ah, Ren, I'm –"

Ren responded by pursing his lips and sucking on his cock even harder. Yamato almost fainted at the sensation. With a scream of _'Ren!'_ his hips gave one, last, violent thrust and he climaxed into his lover mouth.

Ren swallowed his lover's seed, enjoying the salty taste on his tongue. Yamato tasted better than anything in the world, in his opinion. He leaned up to kiss Yamato, opening his mouth to allow the man to taste the lingering hint of his own essence. "Do you want to fuck me too, sir?"

The soft, docile voice made Yamato's cock jump with renewed interest. "Oh yes, Most Eligible Bachelor. I'm going to claim you as mine."

He maneuvered Ren onto his back and began to massage the tight opening between his arse. Ren moaned in anticipation, but held himself patiently still.

"Such obedience." Yamato crooned. "Who do you belong to, Most Eligible Bachelor?"

"You, sir. No one else but you."

"That's right. No one else but me." He reached over to the kitchen drawer and extracted a bottle of lube. They kept some lube all over the house for this very purpose. He coated his finger generously and began to probe the tight passage.

Ren did not whimper, wince or otherwise respond to the pain. His body was used to pain far greater than that. He simply trusted Yamato's ministrations, knowing that the burn would soon be replaced by something much better. He felt another finger being added into his asshole, stretching him more. The fingers wandered around for a bit, searching for their good friend, the prostate. A few seconds later, Ren let out a gasp; thus informing Yamato that they have, indeed, been reacquainted.

Yamato admired Ren's beautiful body before him. So submissive, so disciplined. Ren had not move, even when his prostate was stimulated. Yamato deliberately brushed against the sensitive spot again, trying to goad his lover into losing control; but Ren remained stubbornly still. His lips, however, were trembling with need.

"What do you want from me, Ren?" Yamato asked innocently.

"I want you to fuck me, sir. Please." Ren begged. "Preferably very tight, very hard and very fast."

A strangled hiss escaped Yamato's lips upon hearing Ren's words. Ren always allowed Yamato to underprepare him; although Ren would never do the same to him, no matter what he said.

Yamato lined his cock at Ren's entrance and pushed in slowly.

Ren felt a stronger burn than usual. Yamato had only got up to 2 fingers today and had not even scissored him before entering. Nevertheless he didn't mind, wanting only to please his lover. He pushed back determinedly to help Yamato enter him.

Yamato gasped at the hot tightness of Ren's inner passage surrounding him. "Shit, Ren, are you okay? You're so tight. I'm sorry. I should have prepared you more."

Ren impaled himself backwards even more. "I'm fine, Yamato. Claim me as yours, Yamato. Claim the Most Eligible Bachelor's tight arse as yours."

Yamato immediately buried himself all the way into Ren. "Mine." He growled.

"Yours." Ren agreed, enjoying the feeling of being filled to the brim with Yamato's cock.

Yamato kept his pace slow and gentle to allow Ren to adjust to the pain. "You feel so good, Ren. Now, tell me what you want."

"Deeper please, sir." Ren pleaded. Yamato acquiesced, angling himself to strike that sensitive spot deep in Ren's passage.

"AH!" Ren cried out.

"Be my lover now, Ren, not my submissive. Respond to me."

In an instant, Ren was pushing back against Yamato greedily. "Fuck me harder, Yamato. I need your cock to fill me."

Yamato drove himself into Ren as hard as he could, causing the other man to see stars.

"Oh yes, Yamato. Fuck me like you mean it."

"Oh I intend to, Ren." Yamato panted. "Do you know what I've been hearing non-stop at work today? Kazama Ren. The—" He pulled out and thrust in all the way to punctuate every word. "MOST. ELIGIBLE. BACHELOR."

Ren moaned loudly at the force of Yamato's cock jamming against his prostate and the obvious jealousy in his voice. God, he loved this man.

"Not eligible." He grunted, lost in lust and pleasure.

"You better not be." Yamato said warningly before proceeding to pound into him mercilessly. He rode Ren roughly, throwing all caution to the wind. Ren was his, both to love and to fuck; and Yamato wasn't about to give him up to anyone else.

He felt the familiar contracting in his stomach for the second time of the day, so he reached out his hand to tug at Ren's erection. He pumped it furiously, in sync with the pace of his hips slamming into Ren. "Come with me, Ren." He commanded.

Ren let his self-control go, allowing Yamato to coax him over the edge with his hands. The moment he came, he deliberately clench down even harder on Yamato, and was rewarded when he heard the man yelled his name and shot his load into his arse. Ren thought that Yamato looked the most beautiful in the throes of passion.

Yamato pulled his softened prick out of Ren. "Mine." He said softly, kissing Ren on the lips.

Ren kissed him back. "Always."


	15. Chapter 15

Exactly a week later, it was Kazama Ren's turn to darken the hospital corridors. Unfortunately, he was not in the position to yell at anyone.

It had been two months since the surprise attack by the Morimoto clan. The entire Oedo family, together with Ren, had come to visit Tetsu before the scheduled brain surgery tomorrow morning. Although Tetsu was still being kept in a medically-induced coma, they wanted to bestow their well-wishes to him in person all the same.

The timing of the visit, however, could not have been worse. Yamato was engaged with a last-minute complicated surgery that Ren couldn't even pronounce; and was therefore isolated in an operation theatre somewhere in the hospital. They were so close and yet so far. It didn't help that it was some sort of really advanced surgery that only a few surgeons in the country can perform; and the entire hospital grapevine was preoccupied with Dr Ogata and his surgery. All in all, it left a bad taste in Ren's mouth.

If he wasn't in such a bad mood, the situation would have been quite humorous. Half of the hospital staff was simpering over the Most Eligible Bachelor, practically falling over themselves to help him find directions to the toilet and cafeteria and guest lounge and what not; while the other half of the hospital was going gaga over Dr Ogata and his minimal-invasion amygalohippocampectomy procedure. The occupants of Natsume General Hospital would probably have a large-scale emotional breakdown if they found out that their two current objects of affection were in fact dating one another.

Ren's sharp hearing picked up a soft conversation by the nurse's station. An attractive male resident was talking to a middle-age female doctor about one Dr Ogata Yamato.

"I've just been to the observation room. Ogata-sensei has finished Stage One and is moving to Stage Two. It looks good so far. All the patient's vitals are still stable."

"Ah, it's too early to tell though. Stage Two and Three are the critical ones" The elder female doctor replied.

"I know. He looks like he's got it all under control though. No trace of sweat yet, even after being in there for… nearly 3 hours now." The male resident commented as he glanced at his watch.

"That's Ogata-sensei for you. I've been working with him for nearly 5 years now; I'm yet to see him other than totally cool and composed during a surgery. Even back when he was a resident, mind you." The older physician informed him.

"Ugh. I wish he had picked me to help him with the amygalohippocampectomy! I even stayed up a whole night to read up on it when it became obvious that the patient was going to need one."

"When it became obvious that the patient was going to need one, or when it was announced that Ogata-sensei was going to perform one?" The female doctor teased good-naturedly.

The male resident blushed. "Both, probably." He muttered.

The female doctor grinned. "You and the rest of the hospital, kiddo. Our entire library collection of books relating to epilepsy and amygalohippocampectomy were checked-out the same day after the director asked Ogata-sensei to perform the surgery. You have plenty of competition."

The resident rolled his eyes. "Don't I know it?" He huffed. "Some of the residents have already pre-written congratulatory cards and bought congratulatory balloons! We don't even know if the surgery will be successful yet!"

The female doctor patted his back. "Keep trying, kid. You never know, one of you youngsters might catch Ogata-sensei's eye one day."

Ren jumped slightly at a hand landing on his shoulder. He turned and saw the only person who could sneak up on him unnoticed – Aniki. The amusement on Shin's eyes showed that he, too, had overheard the conversation.

"Come on, Ren. Let's go." He said gently.

Ren gave him a reluctant look.

Shin smiled knowingly. "It doesn't matter how many cards or balloons they give him or whatever complicated surgery he performs at work, Ren. At the end of the day, it is you whom he goes home to."

Ren sighed sceptically, but moved his feet to follow Shin out of the hospital.

* * *

Yamato finally got home at half past 8 that night.

Ren gave a strained smile as he welcomed his boyfriend home. "Okaeri."

"Tadaima. How was your visit to Tetsu, Ren? I dropped by his ward before I left. His doctor said that his condition is much better than expected, so I guess that's a good indication?" Yamato said tiredly.

Ren pulled him onto the couch and started to massage his aching shoulders. Yamato groaned at the soothing touch.

"I'm hoping for the best for his surgery tomorrow too. How was the amy-galo-hippo-cam-pec-tomy?" Ren asked casually.

Yamato turned to look at him, amusement evident in his eyes. "Do I want to know how you learned that word?"

Ren huffed. "From eavesdropping on an attractive young male resident who had stayed up all night reading up on the procedure in hopes that you will pick him to help you with it."

Yamato couldn't help laughing. He had a feeling that this would happen when he found out that his procedure would coincide with Ren's visit. He leaned back into Ren's broad chest, pulling at his boyfriend's long arms to wrap around his exhausted body. "I do not know of any _attractive_ male resident. And I don't have a fetish for long words or medical terms. I do, however, have a particular weakness for big-shot CEOs with a part-time Yakuza job."

Ren cheered up immensely at Yamato's words. He tightened his arms around Yamato and nuzzled the top of his head lovingly. "What about the congratulatory cards and balloons?"

"Mmm. You mean those gaudy things I threw into the bin? Are those what they are?" Yamato replied mischievously.

"Oh dear, those poor kids. Getting their hearts broken by the grumpy old consultant."

"The grumpy old consultant can always heal their broken hearts at the next big surgery if he wants to." Yamato said cheekily.

"No." Ren growled possessively, holding Yamato in a deathly grip.

Yamato laughed. "Alright. The grumpy old consultant needs a good, long soak in the hot tub. Do you know of any cranky old CEO that may be available to accompany him?"

"Oh, you bet I do!" Ren all but carried his boyfriend into the bathroom.

* * *

"So, really, how was your surgery?" Ren asked concernedly as he washed Yamato's back with a wet cloth.

Yamato opened one eye blearily. "It was okay. I did well, I guess. The patient survived."

"How long before he or she can get out of bed?" Ren asked, not trusting Yamato's assessment.

"We won't really know until we check on her recovery progress tomorrow morning. But if there are no complications, then in about 3-4 weeks."

"And what's the normal recovery rate?"

Yamato blushed. Ren definitely knew how to ask the right questions now. Damn Minami and his big mouth. "About 6-8 weeks." He said reluctantly.

Ren gave Yamato a stern look. "That is NOT just an okay, Ogata Yamato." He said accusingly.

Yamato grinned apologetically at his boyfriend; gazing at him with guilty, puppy-dog eyes.

"Oh come here you." Ren relented and pulled Yamato into an embrace. "You deserve a congratulatory gift from me."

Yamato smiled but held out a hand. "I'm a little tired now, Ren. I've been in surgery for 10 hours straight. Can I claim my present tomorrow instead?"

"Of course. Now just relax, let me wash you up and tuck you right into bed."

* * *

They were busy the next day though, because it was time for Tetsu's surgery. The Oedo family waited in tense silence outside the operation theatre; while Yamato dropped by whenever he could between his rounds. He was always busy though, he would stop by and barely manage to get out a few words before his pager would go off shrilly, demanding his presence at another location.

Ren put the frustration out of his head. It wasn't the right time to be concerned with such frivolities. Not when his foster-brother was fighting for his life in the operating theatre. Plus, Yamato was at work; it was normal for him to be busy. Both of them loved their work zealously – the stress, the hecticness and all. He concentrated on Tetsu. He and Shin had prepared two versions of the new clan leadership line-up, one with Tetsu and one without. It had affected Shin tremendously to plan the one without Tetsu. The quiet and loyal henchman held a special place in all their hearts, but this was especially true for Shin. Tetsu had been Shin's friend even before he had joined the Yakuza. It was Tetsu who had taught him the little bits and pieces of the Oedo clan – things too insignificant for Ojiisan to tell him, but still useful to know nonetheless. He was the older brother that Shin never had.

Ren sat beside Shin and put a hand on top of his. "He'll be fine, Aniki. Tetsu is one of us. He's a fighter down to the last bone."

There was a hint of dampness in Shin's usually stoic eyes. "Thanks, Ren." He replied hoarsely. "You're right. He'll be fine. He has to be fine."

"Is this a not-so-subtle way of telling me that I'm not wanted as your _waka_?" Ren joked softly.

He was pleased to see a ghost of a smile on Shin's lips. "Yeah. Can't wait to shake you off. The clan can always use more money, after all." He replied jestingly.

"And here I was, thinking that you truly love me from your heart. But it was just the money. Always has been just for the money." Ren pretended to cradle his head in sorrow.

Shin smiled, a proper one this time; and pulled Ren into a brotherly hug. "I do love you, Ren. From the bottom of my heart. So much that sometimes I even forget that you weren't born as my brother."

Ren returned the hug. "Then let's both forget that insignificant detail, Aniki. You are and will always be my brother; in this life and the next."

* * *

It was another three hours before the lights of the operation theatre finally went off. Both brothers, with their extra-sensitive senses, jumped to their feet before the others could even react.

They accosted the brain surgeon immediately when he came out.

"How is Tetsu, doctor?"

The brain surgeon looked at them empathetically. "The surgery went well, but we won't know until the patient wakes up in a day or two. And when he does, he may be a little disoriented for a while, so I ask that you guys bear with him for the time being."

"Of course, doctor." They replied.

"We'll move him to the recovery ward now. You can visit him once he's settled in."

* * *

"Aniki, Aniki, can you hear me?" Minoru asked.

Two beady eyes opened slowly, the confusion evident in them. Tetsu blinked rapidly. It took his eyes some time to get use to the light after being kept in a coma for over two months.

"Tetsu-aniki, how are you feeling?" Minoru tried again.

"I… Who are you?"

Everyone gasped. There was no way that Tetsu could not recognize Minoru. There wasn't that many people who came in _that_ size, after all.

Shin gestured Yankumi to step forward. They had thought that it was best that Shin and Ren and Koisuke did not get too close to Tetsu in case he felt threatened. They weren't sure how much he remembered about the Yakuza and how he would react to them.

"Tetsu," Yankumi started gently. "That's Minoru, he's your friend. My name is Kumiko, do you remember me? You call me Ojou most of the time."

Tetsu looked at her thoughtfully. She looked familiar, but he couldn't put a finger on it. "Are you a princess then?" He asked carefully.

Yankumi smiled. "No, but you often treat me like one. It's annoying and endearing at the same time."

"Mmm. I feel like I remember you a little. And the fat man too."

Yankumi choked back a laugh. "Of course, Tetsu. We're all your friends. Just take your time and heal, alright? We'll come and see you often."

Tetsu raised his head to look around the room at the mention of 'all your friends'. He gazed at Kuroda for a long time, as if trying to place something in his mind. After a few minutes, his brain gave up and moved on to the next person. He swept past Koisuke and Makoto and Ren without a hint of recognition – until his eyes landed on Shin.

"Oyasan." He whispered.

Shin was startled. He walked up to Tetsu cautiously. "Do you remember me, Tetsu?"

Tetsu frowned at the red-haired man. Somehow this man's identity seemed to be ingrained in his brain. He couldn't recall his name or how he knew him, but he knew that 'Oyasan' was someone very important to him. Even right now, he had an overwhelming desire to get out of bed and protect the man; despite the fact that neither of them was in any danger. "I… don't know."

Shin smiled at him soothingly. "Don't worry, Tetsu. You'll be able to remember all of us soon. My name is Shin."

"Oyasan." Tetsu repeated obstinately.

Shin looked at him amusedly. "Yes, you do always insist on calling me that. That means you have to get better soon, though; because only my… employees address me in that manner."

Tetsu cocked his head to the side. "I'm sorry." He said.

"What are you apologizing for?" Shin asked.

"I'm not sure." Tetsu admitted. "I feel like I did something wrong."

Shin laughed. "You got hurt trying to protect me, Tetsu; I can assure you that you did not do anything wrong."

Tetsu's doctor, Ben-sensei, strode into the room.

"Asakura-san, how are you feeling?"

"Uh…" Tetsu stumbled. What was he supposed to say? Did he know this person?

"Oh forgive me, Asakura-san. I'm your doctor, Ben-sensei. You've been in the hospital for more than 2 months due to a brain injury. You were kept in a coma and finally underwent an operation 2 days ago. Now, tell me; does your head, eyes or anywhere else hurt in any way?"

Tetsu shook his head. He did feel achy all over, and there was a dull throbbing in his head; but he knew it was no big deal. Something in his body told him that he was used to far greater pain than that.

Shin was watching Tetsu sharply. "Tetsu, tell the doctor exactly how you're feeling."

Tetsu looked sheepish. "Hee, Oyasan. Umm… I feel achy all over, like I overexerted my whole body; and there's a dull throbbing in my head right here." He touched the back of his head gingerly.

Ben-sensei threw Shin an appreciative glance. "Good. You need to tell me that, Asakura-san. The aches are to be expected, as you have not moved for a very long time. I'll recommend some basic physiotherapy to help restore the blood circulation to your whole body and prescribe some painkillers for the throbbing in your head. Remember to let me know if anything changes."

"Yes, doctor." Tetsu answered meekly at a look from Shin.

* * *

Over the following weeks, Tetsu's condition improved bit by bit. It was obvious, however, that he made the most progress whenever he was with Shin. Within the first week, he had already recovered all his memories relating to the red-haired man. After that, all that remained was his memories of other people. Even then, it was easier for him to use Shin as his focal point; such as Oyasan's grandfather, Oyasan's wife, Oyasan's brother and so on.

The Oedo family worked with him patiently. They asked him simple questions such as their names and age, and made him recall the most significant characteristic he associated with them. Minoru got 'fat and stupid', Koisuke got 'meticulous', Makoto got 'Wakamatsu's shadow' (which sent everyone into a sombre mood momentarily), Ren got 'Shatei', Kuroda got 'father' (to his absolute delight), and Yankumi got 'sister' (to Shin's relief).

At the same time, Tetsu seemed to be hitting off very well with his physiotherapist, a middle-age lady by the name of Yoko. It seemed that with his memories and inhibitions temporarily displaced; Tetsu became a very charming man. He flirted with Yoko shamelessly while the rest of the Oedo family watched him in shock and delight. They only hoped that Tetsu would not retreat into his shy self again once he recovered.

It was another 4 weeks before Ben-sensei allowed Tetsu to be discharged. And even then, he warned Tetsu not to engage in 'vigorous activities'; which Tetsu would not have heeded, if not for the fact that Shin had already overheard and was agreeing with the doctor whole-heartedly.

Once the doctor left, he tried to protest. "But Oyasan, Ren can't keep doing two jobs at the same time; you'll tire him out! Let me help him, at least!"

"Not a chance, Tetsu. And _I _will help Ren by undertaking more tasks on my own and making sure that he doesn't burn out. You just concentrate on making a full recovery as soon as you can."


	16. Chapter 16

Ren, indeed, was at the verge of burning out. He did not think that he would be able to cope with everything if not for Shin and Hayato helping him out whenever they could. A few times Shin had even sat with Hayato to go over the various aspects of the business just so that Ren could catch some sleep. Hayato was also struggling, as he too was juggling two roles at the same time; but he didn't complain. Ren felt indebted to him.

Yamato, on the other hand, was monitoring Ren's health critically. He gave Ren two caffeine pills and two sleeping pills every day, so that Ren could control his sleeping times as he liked. However, Ren was given a very strict warning to not exceed beyond that; including the consumption of caffeinated beverages and alcohol. All Ren's meals were also pre-packed and carefully planned to ensure that they contained enough nutrients to sustain him through long periods of work.

"Go to sleep, Ren. I'll review the rest." Hayato took the file from Ren's hand gently. "It's almost 2 am. I heard Shin telling you that you have an important clan meeting tomorrow morning."

Ren let out a deep breath and nodded. "Thanks, Hayato." He was about to pop a sleeping pill into his mouth when he lowered his hand. "Hayato… I've been wondering about something."

"Hmm?" Hayato asked, his eyes fixed on the accounts splayed before him.

"Why are you doing so much for me and the company and the clan? Not that I don't appreciate it, of course…"

Hayato looked up at him. "You mean you want to know why I'm practically willing to kill myself working for you." He stated matter-of-factly.

Ren gave a slow, uncertain nod.

Hayato closed the file he was looking at. "You remember what Ryu said in his valedictory speech? About how everyone gave up on him, except for you and Yankumi?" He exhaled heavily. "I was one of them, Ren. I gave up on Ryu. I gave up on our friendship, on the person I cared for most in the world, on the one person who had accepted me and gave me a chance when no one else would. I came from a pissed poor family, Ren. When I was a kid, no one wanted to befriend me. I was the dirty kid down the road that came to kindergarten with lice and flies. The children would avoid me and the teachers would ignore me. I sat alone, ate alone and played alone. And perhaps that would have been my whole life, if not for Ryu."

A tiny smile played on the corner of his lips as he recounted the next part of the story. "It was like a fairytale, you know? One day, out of a sudden, the whole kindergarten was all fired up. A rich prince was coming to our kindergarten. I later found out that he was only sent there because he was throwing terrible tantrums at every other kindergarten and none of them were able to cope with him. Don't take the current Ryu at face value, Ren. He was a real troublemaker when he was younger. But back to the story – a rich prince was coming to school. Everyone was excited; except for me, of course. I wasn't happy at all. He was just another rich kid who was going to belittle me for my torn shoes and hand-me-down clothes. Just another rich kid who would come to school with delicious-smelling fried shrimps and grilled eel in his lunchbox while I either ate nothing or a stale bun. Worse still, on the day he was due to arrive, the teachers were anticipating that his parents would show up as well; so they banished me to the playground. They weren't coming, of course; Ryu's parents never cared about him. He was practically raised by nannies and bodyguards, but the teachers didn't know that at that time."

Ren gave a sad smile. Ryu's childhood sounded remarkably similar to Shin. _'Money really isn't everything.'_ He thought. He made a silent vow to never treat his kids that way; before realizing that he was unlikely to have kids. Oh right.

Hayato continued his story, oblivious to Ren's musings. "The children never allowed me to play with them on the playground, so it was a blessing in disguise for me to be sent to the playground alone. I decided to make the best out of it. I ran up and down, giving a go at all the different ladders and slides and swings and bars; until a voice interrupted me. 'Did you run away from the classroom?' I looked towards the source of the voice fearfully and saw that it was a boy my age. He was dressed in a miniature crisp white suit. His hair was neatly brushed, and his nails were sparkling clean. He looked like the epitome of a prince. I immediately knew who he was then. I shied away, trying to hide myself from him. He didn't give up, though. He didn't know the meaning of 'no' yet at that age. 'My name's Ryu. What's yours?' He asked persistently. 'Ha…yato.' I stuttered. 'Well, Hayato, you must be the coolest kid in class. You're out here playing while everyone is sitting in that boring classroom!' I was bewildered. Me, the coolest kid in class? I didn't know how to tell him that he had misunderstood. I was chased away from the class so as not to leave a bad impression on his parents!"

Hayato smiled fondly at the reminiscence. He had never forgotten the day he first met Ryu. Sometimes, when he looked at his best friend, he still saw the handsome little boy in the crisp white suit.

"Well, somehow Ryu was convinced that I was the coolest kid in class; and he continued to befriend me, even though the other kids tried to tell him otherwise. He even hit a few people who dared to call me names in front of him. I followed him around quietly, and we often snuck out of class to play on the playground. Ryu was still a bucket load of trouble, but at least he wasn't throwing any more tantrums; so they let him stay and turned a blind eye to his antics. He would share his expensive lunchbox with me; and on the last day of autumn, he wore a thick winter jacket to kindergarten. After school, however, he threw his infamous tantrum about how it was too hot for a jacket and that he didn't want it any more. He tossed it to me and told me that I could do whatever I wanted with it."

Emotional tears filled Hayato's eyes. "It wasn't until much, much later that I found out that he had always known that I was the social outcast in the class. His exact words were 'Hayato, I could tell the difference between a genuine Louis Vutton from a grade-A imitation at the age of 6. Did you really think that I couldn't see the shabbiness of your clothes?' I think we were about 15 when he finally told me that." Hayato recounted.

"We stayed best friends throughout elementary school and middle school. His father sent him to an elite private school at first, but Ryu did the same thing as he did in kindergarten. He got into so much trouble and kept changing schools until he ended up at my school. Then, almost magically, the amount of trouble would drop to a more manageable level. Not that he suddenly turned angelic mind you, he simply became a delinquent; rather than a juvie-criminal who would be locked up the moment he turned 18." Hayato and Ren shared a laugh.

"Take joined us midway through elementary school. He was a little bit like how I was in kindergarten. He was tiny and easily frightened, so the kids liked to pick on him. Similarly, Ryu took him under his wing. After all, no one dared to defy Ryu. Over the years, both Take and I started to grow a backbone of our own; even though we still stuck to Ryu's side. Both of us became stronger and more confident with ourselves. Ryu became our friend, rather than our saviour… Although I suspect that neither of us has ever forgotten how he changed our lives. The three of us stuck to each other throughout everything—" Hayato closed his eyes. "until the day I punched him and called him a traitor." He said hoarsely.

"I don't know how I screwed up so badly. I, of all people, should have known that Ryu does everything for a reason. I should have listened to him, should have given him a chance, should have forgiven him… But I didn't. I chose to give our friendship up." He declared bitterly.

"You were young." Ren said softly.

"I was; but Ryu was young too, when he asked for my name on the playground, when he shared his food with me, and when he gave me his jacket. He was young too, when he chose to become my friend." A lone tear slid down his face.

"The second time I abandoned him was inadvertent, but I abandoned him all the same. After graduation, my uncle offered me a working scholarship in America and I just took it without looking back. I didn't know that Ryu was stuck in life. I didn't bother to check either; and as a result, I wasn't there for him when he needed help the most." He looked at Ren. "But you were, Ren. You were the one who brought Ryu back among the living. You brought the light back into his eyes and made him into the prince he was before. And for that, I owe you _everything_, Ren. Everything."

Ren smiled at Hayato. "I didn't make him into anything, Hayato. The potential was already in there, I simply encouraged him to bring it out. And regardless, you don't owe me anything."

Hayato ran his fingers along the Red Lion Group's crest on the file lightly. "I know, but I want to. It's my redemption, of sort. You also gave me a chance, Ren. You trusted me, even when I was a fresh grad out of university. You put me in the second highest position in the company, and shared with me all your visions and hopes and dreams for the Group. At that moment, it felt like déjà vu. I knew then, that it was my second chance. Here was another person who is willing to take me in as a nobody. I was determined to never disappoint any of you ever again." He looked at Ren a little self-consciously. "Too cheesy?"

Ren grinned and shook his head. "Thanks for telling me, Hayato. Good night."

"Good night, Ren."


	17. Chapter 17

"Ryu, I dare you to kiss Hayato."

Everyone turned to stare at Ren, who just grinned back impishly.

They four of them – Ren, Yamato, Ryu and Hayato – had been catching up over dinner and some beer; and somehow during the night it had turned into an impromptu truth-or-dare session. So far Ren had eaten a raw chicken liver and licked a live fish, Yamato had called a random number to convince a stranger that an alien invasion was coming and went downstairs to ask a girl to put lipstick on him, Ryu had drank a nasty milk-water concoction that Ren had lovingly named 'Shin's tonic' and admitted that he did ballet when he was younger, and Hayato had killed a crab with his bare hands and admitted that he had stolen Ryu's money several times throughout their school years out of desperation but was too embarrassed to admit it to his best friend at that time.

They had not done anything remotely sexual… until now.

"Oh come on Ren, that's so high school!" Ryu whined. "And I'm straight!"

"That is why it is considered a dare, you dimwit!" Ren called back cheerily.

Hayato had been shocked into a stupor ever since Ren made the dare. He knew that Ren did it on purpose. Ren and Yamato had accidentally found out about his secret obsession over his best friend a few weeks ago.

"Fine." Ryu huffed, before pulling Hayato up and planting a brief peck on his lips.

Hayato stared at him in a daze. Yamato nudged him. "You fucker, at least be sober enough to appreciate a man's first gay kiss!" He said jokingly, knowing fully well that Hayato wasn't drunk, just shocked to the core.

Hayato snapped out of it. "Wha—" He looked at Ren, who just smirked at him knowingly. Hayato tried to joke with his best friend. "Hey, come on Ryu. Do it properly, I barely even felt it!"

"Nuh-uh." Ryu protested. "Not my fault that you were too drunk to acknowledge it."

"I've gotta agree with Hayato though. That wasn't really a kiss. More like a bumping of lips." Ren said to Ryu. "I clearly remember you asking me to take a _'good, long lick' _of that disgusting fish just now. Now I'm going to throw your little piece of _advice_ back at you."

Yamato grinned. "I second whatever Ren said."

Ryu pouted. "Now you guys are just ganging up on me."

Ren poured him a shot of whiskey and set it in front of him. "I'll help you out. Here, have some liquid courage."

Ryu glared at him as if affronted. "I'm not scared, thank you very much!" He grabbed Hayato' collar once more. "I'll show you guys a good snog." He proceeded to plant his lips firmly against Hayato and kissed him with unequivocal passion. What he didn't expect (but the others did) was for Hayato to kiss him back with equal fervour. Ryu gasped in surprise, and Hayato took the opportunity to slide his tongue into his best friend's mouth. Ryu couldn't help let loose a tiny moan at the feeling of Hayato's skilful tongue plundering the inside of his mouth. It felt so wrong, and yet so right at the same time. Ryu felt conflicted. He wasn't homophobic, no, far from it; but he had always thought that he was straight. Not to mention that this was his best friend!

After a few long minutes, Ren cleared his throat. Ryu immediately sprang apart from his best friend, while Hayato shot Ren a look that could kill.

"Truth or dare… Hayato?" Ryu stammered slightly. He was still feeling confused about what had just transpired between him and his best friend.

"Truth."

"Uhm… Have you slept with any of our friends?" Ryu asked curiously. Hayato had a bit of a… 'reputation', so to speak. "I mean, other than…" He shot a guilty look at Ren and Yamato.

Yamato blushed. Ren simply smirked. "I'm not going to be offended just because they used to sleep together, Ryu. You can say it out loud."

"Other than Yamato, then." Ryu finished his sentence.

Hayato nodded slowly. "Um. Yeah. But just one."

"Who?" Ryu asked immediately.

"You've asked your question, Ryu." Ren interrupted cheekily. He didn't mind Ryu knowing, but he wanted to let his friend brood longer on his feelings.

Ryu pouted, but realized that Ren was right.

So, Hayato continued. "Truth or dare?" He asked Ren.

"Dare."

"I dare you to tell Ryu about the dirty dream you had about him."

Ren laughed at the stricken expression on Ryu's face. "Oh don't worry. It was just once, really. I wasn't secretly fantasizing about you or anything. Well, basically I dreamt that you were my defence lawyer in court; and the judge ordered us to have sex in front of her. And we did. There, end of story."

"Hey!" Hayato yelled. "That's not the same version as the one you told us! You've got to tell him the full version!"

"Hayato, if you had used your brains, you'd have realized that I made up most of it. But apparently you can't think with two heads simultaneously." The second part was said in a lower tone so that Ryu wouldn't hear him.

Ryu was looking at Ren contemplatively, not noticing his silent exchange with Hayato. "Ren… In your dream, who bottomed?"

Ren laughed. For some reason, Ryu always had the tendency to ask that question when he was talking to gay people. Maybe he really was curious about the sex part. "You did, but technically you were on top; if you know what I mean."

Ryu thought for a moment before a blush crept onto his face. "Oh."

Ren turned back to face Hayato. "Truth or dare?"

"Yamato hasn't gotten a turn!" Hayato complained.

"I can choose who to ask, so I'm asking you." Ren justified.

"Fine. Dare."

"I dare you to take your shirt off for the rest of the night, but to leave your tie on."

Hayato narrowed his eyes at Ren, but moved to comply with the dare. He tugged his tie loose and removed it from underneath his stiff shirt collar, then proceeded to undo the first button. He caught Ryu and Yamato staring at him openly. His hands paused, as if trying to make a decision. He looked up at Ren. "Can I leave it on just for one more round?"

Ren smirked. He knew what Hayato was planning. "Go ahead."

"Yamato, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

Hayato smiled evilly. "I dare you to unbutton my shirt in order for me to fulfil your perverted boyfriend's dare."

Yamato immediately got off his chair and straddled Hayato's lap. He knew that Ren wouldn't mind, since all of them knew that Yamato was head over heels in love with Ren; and that Hayato was crazily obsessed over Ryu. All Hayato and him shared was plain physical attraction. Yamato traced a finger down the row of buttons slowly, lingering for a second longer on the last button; which was just inches away from Hayato's groin. Then, instead of using his fingers, he proceeded to use his teeth to undo the buttons. All the occupants in the room felt their breath hitch. Hayato, of course, being the one subjected to Yamato's actions, was shivering in anticipation. Ryu was staring at the picture before him hypnotically. He had never known that watching a guy undressing another guy would be so incredibly erotic. Yamato's posture and movements were absolutely, breathtakingly hot. It was no wonder that both his best friends were attracted to the dark-haired man.

Ren, on the other hand, was feeling the first stirring of arousal. When he saw Hayato look at him, he knew that the man was going to ask Yamato to do it for him – probably to give Ryu a good show, not to mention for the tiny satisfaction he would derive from it. But he knew that Hayato had definitely not expected this. And frankly speaking, neither did Ren.

Yamato was moving onto the second button now, his teeth pulling gently but expertly at the soft fabric. Ren wondered when Yamato have had the practice. The button disappeared into his mouth for a few seconds, and emerged separated from the buttonhole on the other side. The third button was somewhere in the middle of Hayato's chest. This time when the button sprang apart, Yamato allowed his teeth to graze against Hayato's skin for a split second; drawing another strangled breath from everyone in the room. The fourth button was near his stomach. When the shirt came apart, Yamato dipped his tongue briefly into Hayato's belly button, before saying _'oops'_ innocently. Hayato groaned. He knew that that was by no means an accident. He was half-anticipating and half-dreading the last button, which was just at the end of his abdomen, right above his crotch. This time, instead of using his teeth, Yamato popped the entire button into his mouth and undid the button with his tongue. All of them watched the slight movement in his jaws with hitched breaths; and were rewarded the next moment when Yamato spit out two slightly damp but separate ends of Hayato's shirt. He pressed a kiss underneath the original spot of the button and moved away.

Yamato was more than pleased to see three pairs of eyes staring at him hungrily. "Truth or dare, Ryu?" He asked in a singsong voice.

Ryu concentrated on bringing his breathing back to normal. "Dare." He was steering clear of all 'truth' questions until he himself understood what he was feeling. Was there a possibility that he might be attracted to men as well as women?

"I dare you to down 10 shots of whiskey continuously. If you cough or choke, then we'll add another one." He said wickedly.

Ryu nodded. He could do whiskey. Whiskey was a lot easier than doing… things to his friends. He managed to down four, before accidentally coughing thrice at the burn. Yamato smiled and gave him three more shots, bringing the total up to 13. Finally, he managed to gulp all of them down without incurring more shots.

"Hayato…" He slurred slightly. That stuff was strong. They were in one of the lavish bars owed by the Oedo clan (now under the Red Lion Group of Companies), and the management had obviously gave them the best bottle in the house. "T'uth or dare?"

"Truth." Hayato knew what Ryu wanted to ask him.

"Who did you sleep with? Otherrr than Yamato?" He asked.

Hayato gave his best friend a naughty grin. "Ren."

"Ren?" Ryu turned to look at his second best friend and mentor with a bewildered look.

Ren stared back at him nonchalantly. "Just once. Spontaneous threesome. Don't ask." He didn't really want to reveal _why_ Hayato was forced to interfere in the first place. He still wasn't proud of it, even if Yamato did not blame him.

Ryu nodded numbly._ 'All of them had slept together!'_ His hazy mind screamed, although the sound was slightly muted from the amount of alcohol he had consumed. He looked at his 3 companions with a whole new perspective now.

"Yamato, truth or dare?" Hayato asked.

"Dare."

"I dare you to unbutton Ryu's shirt the same way." He turned to explain to Ryu. "Unlike me, you can button it back up once he's done, of course."

Ryu's head was spinning now, partly from the alcohol and partly from the sensations threatening to overwhelm him. He watched nervously as Yamato approached him.

"Can I sit?" Yamato gestured to his lap.

Ryu looked around wildly, almost like he was searching for help. Finding none, he straightened his back and knees, leaving his lap empty. Yamato promptly climbed on top. Ryu was horrified that his once-upon-a-time heterosexual manhood began to stir in interest.

Yamato leaned into his ear. "Don't think, Ryu. Feel."

Ryu felt his heartbeat hastened when Yamato lowered his mouth to his shirt. He was half-upset and half-thankful that Yamato made quick work of his shirt; rather than the sensual, languid process that he had subjected Hayato to.

Yamato resumed his seat. "Ren, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Would you consider involving an outsider – or two –" He casted a quick glance at Ryu. He wasn't sure if the man was ready, despite his and Hayato's attempts to convert him. "Just for the fun of it?"

Ren hesitated. One, he didn't like sharing. Two, he was slightly attracted to Hayato's body, but not so much to Ryu. He had issued the initial dare for Hayato's sake, not himself. Three, he knew that Hayato could wake up the next morning and pretend that nothing had happened; but he wasn't sure how Ryu would respond. He snuck an assessing look at Ryu. _'Ah, what the hell.'_ He never denied Yamato anything, especially once it was expressly voiced. Worse come to worst he would just grovel and kneel until Ryu forgave him. He knew that Ryu was very forgiving that way. "I would."

"Great. Your turn."

* * *

**A/N: Looking forward to the next chapter? *wink***


	18. Chapter 18

**##SMUT SMUT S.M.U.T WARNING!##**

* * *

Gradually, the three of them built up the sexual tension in the room. Hayato was asked to take off Ryu's belt. Yamato was asked to remove his own underwear without taking off his pants. Ren was asked to pull down Hayato's zipper with his teeth. Ryu was asked to give Yamato's ass a single spank. The three of them dominated the game, only giving Ryu a turn once in a while.

After a while, they raised the stakes. Chocolate fondue and whipped cream was ordered through the intercom. If the staff wondered what the food will be used for, they didn't ask. A round of nibbling and licking and sucking began. Both Hayato and Yamato were equally shirtless now. Yamato was swirling his tongue sensuously across a patch of whipped cream on Hayato's nipples. Ryu was still watching them as he had for the past hour or so – unblinkingly and unmovingly from his seat.

Ren drew up a chair next to Ryu. He had, after all, been the man's mentor for 4 years in university. He had to make sure that Ryu wasn't going to suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or something over their stupid game.

"Hey. Are you okay?" He asked softly, not wanting to startle his friend.

Ryu tore his eyes away from the scene in front of him. He turned to face Ren. "I… I don't know."

"Are you feeling uncomfortable?" Ren asked concernedly.

Ryu blushed slightly. "Yes, but not in a bad way."

Ren's eyes widened at the confession. "You… want to join them?" He turned his gaze to the two rabbits who were now rutting against each other on the floor.

Ryu pursed his lips. "I don't know… I don't know what to feel or think."

"Oh." Ren rested his hands behind his head. "Feel free to just lean back and watch. Don't do anything you don't find comfortable."

Ryu nodded. After a while, he turned to Ren. "Can I kiss you?"

"Me?" Ren was startled.

"I… I trust you the most." Ryu faltered.

Ren understood. Hayato was Ryu's best friend; but Ren was his mentor, brother, protector and close friend all in one. Ryu was used to sharing his joy and sorrow with Hayato, but he was more comfortable sharing feelings such as fear, embarrassment and anxiousness with Ren.

He leaned forward and caught Ryu's lips in a chaste kiss. He licked the thin layers gently, allowing Ryu to lead. A few seconds later, Ryu began to feel surer of himself and kissed Ren back demandingly. Ren acquiesced by adding his tongue to the routine. Ryu immediately responded in the same manner.

To their oblivion, the two rabbits had ceased their violent humping and were staring at them disbelievingly. While the three of them had worked together to create the sexual atmosphere in the room, it was obvious that Ren tried to keep as much distance as possible between Ryu and himself. He only touched Yamato and Hayato, and always directed Ryu's occasional dare to one of them instead of himself.

"What do you think happened?" Hayato whispered, slightly envious at Ren.

Yamato shrugged. "Who knows?"

"Do you think we can join them?" Hayato stared at them wistfully.

"No, we have to allow Ryu to join us at his own pace. I think he probably asked Ren to kiss him. Ren wouldn't have initiated it otherwise."

"Oh, alright." Hayato said disappointedly. He turned his attention back to Yamato. "Well, since Ryu has made the first step, we can't stay idle either. Time to up the ante!"

Yamato grinned. "You're still an insatiable beast, Hayato." He got up and walk over to their abandoned dinner table. Patting the jacket Ren had draped over the back of his chair, Yamato finally found what he was looking for. He walked back to Hayato.

Hayato raised an eyebrow at the object in Yamato's hands. "Ren carries lube in his business suit?" He asked in astonishment. He worked with the man in that suit every day!

Yamato gave a mischievous wink. "What can I say? You're not the only one with a healthy appetite around here."

"Well, I'm not going to complain. It's definitely a good habit." He squeezed a tiny drop on his finger and trailed it down Yamato's chest.

Yamato shivered slightly at the cold substance. "How are we doing this today?" He asked breathlessly.

"I say we prepare both of us and ask Ryu to decide which one of us tops or bottoms." Hayato suggested.

"Good idea." Yamato fumbled to remove Hayato's slacks. "69?"

The memory of their last encounter in that position forced a moan from Hayato. He, too, began to claw desperately at Yamato's jeans.

* * *

On the other side of the room, Ren and Ryu were interrupted from their haze when a moan reached their ears. They immediately turned to identify the source of the sound. Ryu blushed when he saw his two friends rushing to strip each other. Ren simply raised an eyebrow. Those two were moving way too fast. They would have to be punished at a later date. The thought sent a shiver down his spine and his cock twitched in response.

"Watch them." Ren told Ryu quietly when it became apparent what the rabbits were going to do. He silently commended them for making a good choice. That position was very pleasing to the eye, not to mention erotic.

Ryu's eyes became as big as saucers when he saw both of their erect cocks disappearing into each other's mouths. His own cock throbbed longingly, wanting to find a similar heat.

Ren stood up and looked at him expectantly. "Come." He said softly.

Ryu winced at the pun, but slowly stood up and followed Ren to the centre of the room where Hayato and Yamato were busy stuffing their mouths with each other's engorged cocks.

Ren picked up the bottle of lube Yamato had stolen from his jacket and passed it to Ryu. "Squeeze some on their fingers."

Ryu accepted the bottle apprehensively, before doing as Ren instructed. He pulled Hayato's right hand upwards and squeezed a pea-size amount on his index finger. Without any further delay, Hayato jammed his fingers into Yamato's arse hole; his diligent mouth not pausing for a single moment. Yamato moaned at the slick intrusion. Ryu watched in studied fascination as Hayato thrust the finger in and out of Yamato, before holding out his hand for more. This time, Ryu squeezed a penny-size dollop and Hayato stuck two fingers into Yamato, scissoring his entrance. Ryu suddenly remembered that Yamato was still waiting, so he hurriedly went around and gave Yamato some lube as well. Similarly, Yamato smeared the lube all over Hayato's sacred entrance and probed in with his fingers. Now that both of them were equally filled, they moaned in completeness of the feeling.

Ren watched them interestedly, wondering what their next plan was. He started to unbutton his shirt before a slim hand stopped him. He looked up to see Ryu looking at him hesitantly.

"I can't do what Yamato did, but I can help you if you want. Just with my hands, of course." He said shyly.

Ren nodded with his mouth half-open. It seemed that Ryu was still more comfortable exploring with him than the other two. He supposed he didn't have a choice. After all, he was the one who started the ball rolling by asking Ryu to kiss Hayato.

A sense of déjà vu settled on him when Ryu climbed onto his lap and started unbuttoning his shirt. His old university-time wet dream was coming true. _'Who knew that that would actually happen?'_ He wondered incredulously to himself.

Ryu quietly unbuttoned Ren's shirt without much fanfare, but did not get off Ren's lap after he was done. Instead he helped peel the shirt off and rested his hands on Ren's bare shoulders. Slowly and uncertainly, he mimicked what he had witnessed earlier with the rabbits; trailing his hands down and flicking Ren's nipples testingly. Ren bit back a gasp at the shy touch.

Ryu found himself strangely pleased at Ren's response. "Tell me what to do, Ren." Ryu said quietly.

Ren took a deep breath. "Okay. But don't feel compelled to obey. Remember to go at your own pace." He reminded Ryu. "Continue what you're doing. Play with my nipples. Apply more pressure. Can I take off your shirt too?"

Ryu nodded.

Ren discovered that Ryu's chest was, indeed as smooth as he had imagined it to be in his dreams. Ryu didn't have much muscles, but he was lean enough. Ren brought his fingers to pinch Ryu's nipples and was met with a surprised yelp. When he felt the nubs hardened in arousal, he lowered his mouth and sucked on them gently; drawing another moan from Ryu. He ran his hands down Ryu's back slowly, tracing the outline of his spine until he reached the tailbone. Ryu arched into his touch. He fondled Ryu's arse lightly through his pants, but did not move to grab it. Ryu was now applying what he had learned and was sucking on Ren's nipple, all the while grinding his hips against Ren desperately.

"Ryu." Hayato's voice drifted over.

Both of them turned to look at him. Hayato's face was flushed with desire. Yamato, too, was panting with need.

"We want you to decide who tops." Hayato said.

Ren hid a smile. So that was their plan. To give him control. Not bad.

Ryu turned to look at Ren uncertainly. "It's your choice, Ryu." Ren told him.

"Er. Yamato." He had no idea how to pick, so he just made a random selection.

Without further discourse, Hayato propped himself up on his hands and knees. Yamato knelt behind him and lined his cock at Hayato's entrance. He pushed in slowly, hissing at the tight heat. "So tight, Hayato."

Yamato buried himself all the way inside and waited. "I'm good, Yamato. Fuck me." Hayato's voice was hoarse with desire. Yamato began to thrust inside him, hitting his prostrate on the first try and causing him to cry out in pleasure. "Oh yes, there, THERE! Oh my god, yes yes yes yes yes." Hayato was whimpering in pure ecstasy. The prolonged foreplay had left him in desperate need of release.

Ryu stared at the mating couple in front of him fixatedly, still seated in Ren's lap. Hayato looked like he enjoying being fucked immensely – it was something that Ryu had always wondered about. At the same time, he could feel Ren's hardness pressing against his crotch.

"Do you want to join them, Ren?" He asked reluctantly. He himself wasn't ready to, but he suspected that Ren was aching to do whatever they were doing.

"It's okay. They can probably go again later. Continue doing whatever you want to do now." Ren told him.

Ryu nodded and began to nibble at Ren's exposed neck, drawing a loud moan. Ryu found out that Ren's neck was his weak spot. Ren tightened his grip around Ryu's ass, pausing to make sure that the man was okay with it. When he did not receive a negative response, he began to knead the arse cheeks slowly, and then moved to his inner thigh; but was careful not to touch his erection so as to not startle him before he was ready.

"Take off my slacks, Ryu. You can leave my underwear on if you prefer." Ren said softly.

Ryu paused slightly, before lowering his hands to unbuckle Ren's belt and slacks. Ren lifted his hips to allow the garment to be removed. Ryu seemed to hesitate for a while, before standing up and removing his own trousers on his own volition. He left both their underwear on.

The skin on skin contact seemed to set off a new wave of frenzy for Ryu. His hips began to move against Ren instinctively, seeking some friction for his neglected cock. Ren sighed internally. He had not dry hump anyone to completion since he was 18. He stilled Ryu's hips. "I know you're desperate to cum, Ryu. Will you let me suck you off?"

Ryu swallowed visibly before nodding. Ren stood up and turned the chair so that Ryu would have full view of Hayato and Yamato fucking on the floor, before gesturing the man to sit down. Then, he knelt between Ryu's knees and removed Ryu's cock from the painful confines of his underwear. Before Ryu had time to blush or cover himself, Ren slid the entire length into his mouth.

Ryu's eyes widened at the sensation. Ren was sucking his cock like a professional – not that he would know what a true professional was like, of course – but it was a whole new level from the shabby blows he have had in the past. Ren's tongue was dancing and swirling over his foamy head in an intricate motion that made Ryu wanted to faint in pleasure. He then focused his gaze on the shagging couple of the floor. Yamato was now thrusting into Hayato at full speed. Both their eyes were glazed with the need for release. Hayato was begging and crying for release from his sweet torture; pushing back to meet Yamato thrust for thrust. Ryu felt Ren increased the pressure on his cock as the sounds from Hayato reached their crescendo; and with a chorused yell, all three of them came simultaneously. Hayato jizzed all over the floor despite Yamato not touching his cock at all, while Yamato emptied himself into Hayato's contracting channel. Ryu, on the other hand, blew his load down Ren's mouth; who promptly swallowed.

As soon as he recovered from his orgasm, Ryu turned to apologize to Ren. All three of them had came, except for him.

"I'm sorry… Ren." He said. "Do you want me to… return the favour?" He asked timidly.

"You don't have to if you don't want to." Yamato wheezed from his spot on the floor. He was still buried inside Hayato's ass. He gingerly removed himself, drawing a whimper from Hayato at the loss. "Come here, Ren. I'm still slick and stretched from just now."

Ren checked one last time to make sure that Ryu was alright; then took off his underwear and joined his boyfriend. He leaned down to kiss Yamato. "You had a good time?" He asked.

"Yes." Yamato heaved, still trying to catch his breath. "But I've missed you." He laid down on his back and pulled his knees up to his chest. "Fill me, Ren. Make me feel full with your cock."

Ren growled with desire and buried himself in Yamato with one swift thrust.

"Oh god, yes, Ren. You feel so good in me." Yamato groaned, wrapping his legs tightly around Ren's waist to pull him closer. His spent cock was starting to fill up again, albeit at a slower momentum.

Without delay, Ren started to pump into Yamato furiously. "Fuck, Yamato." He gritted his teeth.

Hayato sat up to watch both of them in wonder. The last time he was wedged between them, so he had never seen Ren and Yamato together before. They looked really good. Their bodies complemented each other perfectly. They knew exactly where to touch, where to hold, where to move. Their love and passion for one another was so raw and overflowing that it made him feel almost giddy just being there. He was already hard and ready for another round.

Ren didn't take long. A few deep, hard thrust later, he came in Yamato's ass with a strangled shout.

Hayato looked at Yamato. The man was hard again too.

* * *

Ryu watched as Ren pulled his spent cock out of Yamato's ass. Both Hayato and Yamato descended upon him like vultures, fighting to lick his cock clean. In fact, they went even further than that. They licked his cock back to arousal. For a brief moment, Ryu found himself wondering how it would feel to have two tongues tending to his cock.

As if he could read his mind, Ren looked up at Ryu that exact moment. "Come join us, if you want to. We won't make you have sex, I promise." Both Yamato and Hayato looked at him with equally hopeful expressions.

"Um. Alright." Ryu answered and made his way to them, trying not to show his discomfort at his nudity.

The moment he sat down on the floor, Hayato pounced on him and proceeded to snog him senseless. Ryu found snogging easy. He just had to close his eyes and went with his feelings. Hayato's lips were sweet, tangy and full of zealous passion. The moment their tongues touched, Ryu tasted a faint bitterness and realized that both Yamato and Ren's cocks had been in Hayato's mouth earlier. Ryu sucked on Hayato's tongue eagerly. He wondered if that counted as an indirect blowjob. He wasn't quite ready to give them a proper blowjob yet, so he thought that an indirect one would be good practice.

Hayato moaned at the feeling of Ryu trying to suck Ren's cum out of his tongue. It was so arousing. Ryu didn't know the effect he had on Hayato. Just the sight of his bare skin made Hayato wonder if he had died and gone to heaven. He had been dreaming of that smooth, fair skin almost every single night since he came back to Japan. Hayato ran his fingers across Ryu's skin gently, forcing himself not to grope at the beautiful creature in front of him.

Ryu enjoyed Hayato's touch immensely. It felt so right, so warm, and so affectionate. It was like coming home after a long, long day. Finally, he shut off the part of his brain that was yelling _'you're straight!'_ and gave himself over to the ministrations. "Make out with me properly, Hayato." He whispered.

Hayato did need further persuasion. He immediately redoubled the heat in his kiss and threaded his fingers into Ryu's hair. Ryu responded just as enthusiastically. Hayato lowered his hands and began to explore Ryu's body, trying to find all the sensitive spots on the man's body. He was rewarded with a moan at the nipples, a gasp at hipbone and a groan at the end of the sternum.

* * *

On the other side, the two matchmakers were smirking smugly. "Good job, Ren." Yamato said cheekily, nibbling on Ren's right ear.

Ren was caressing the curve of Yamato's hips. "Thank you."

"I believe that qualifies for a reward." Yamato declared. "What would you like to do with Hayato and I?"

Ren thought briefly. He had already topped the last time. Did he want to bottom this time? But Hayato and Yamato had already fucked. That would be repetitive. A stroke of inspiration struck him. "I want both of you to fuck me, at the same time."

Yamato's eyes widened. "Like double penetration?" He asked in disbelief.

Ren nodded. "I can take the pain, so don't worry."

Yamato nodded. "As you wish, Ren. Come, let me start preparing you."

* * *

Hayato pulled himself apart from Ryu. The snog had been most intoxicating, but if he continued further he would not have been able to stop. He needed back-up.

"You should spend some time with Yamato too, Ryu. Come on." Hayato looked over and saw that Yamato was stretching Ren wide. He wondered what the arrangement was this time. He tapped on Yamato's shoulder and gestured at Ryu. Yamato nodded and handed him the lube. "DP." He told Hayato.

Hayato's cock jumped with excitement at the new revelation. Double penetration! Damn, Ren and Yamato were really adventurous. He gladly swapped places with Yamato and continued to prepare Ren's arse hole. Yamato had got up to four fingers. Hayato poured the lube over his hand generously and began a four-finger scissor. He moved in a little deeper, curious to find Ren's prostrate. 5 seconds later, he was rewarded with a vicious lurch. "Yes. There." Ren said breathlessly. "But don't overstimulate me. I don't want to cum before both of you can get in."

Hayato nodded in understanding. He began to stretch Ren's opening as wide as he could. After he had gone as far as he could with four fingers, he balled his hand into a fist and inserted the entire fist into Ren's arse. "Shit, Hayato." Ren moaned. He felt stretched to the brim. The sight of Hayato fisting his arse was so sexy. It was something Ren had never tried before. He bucked his hips to get more friction with the fist. To his disappointment, Hayato pulled away. "Nuh-uh." He said scoldingly. "You're ready now, Ren."

They turned and saw Ryu now lying on his back, fully aroused with his legs sprawled wide open; mewling and purring with abandonment under Yamato's expert care. Hayato stifled a laugh. "Yamato's skill at its finest. He turned me bi too you know?" He whispered to Ren.

Ren raised an eyebrow. He didn't know that. But it was believable. Yamato could make anyone change their sexual preference. It was like having sex with a god. God didn't have genders. God was just… god. Perfect. Beautiful. Incomparable.

Ren and Hayato crawled over to them. Hayato trailed a row of blazing kisses across Ryu's abdomen, finally ending with a kiss on the tip of his erection. Ryu instinctively arched into the touch, seeking the source of the heat. Hayato was more than happy to open his mouth and swallow his best friend's cock. He sucked contentedly for a few moments before Yamato pushed him over. "Share, Hayato."

Hayato gave a pout but acquiesced. The three of them started to suck and lick at Ryu's cock simultaneously.

Ryu watched the three mouths on his cock in bright-eyed amazement. It felt so good. It was like they were all worshipping his cock. And their tongues! Sinful did not even began to describe it. Those tiny pink things were capable of driving a man crazy.

Ryu could feel his second orgasm approaching. "More." He whimpered, needing extra friction. Straightaway, Ren moved down and started to suck on his balls. Hayato moved up and latched himself onto the sensitive patch of skin on his hips. Yamato took his entire length down his throat.

Ryu panted. Yamato's mouth was absolutely incredible. Coupled with whatever Ren and Hayato were doing, Ryu felt like he was going to explode. Yamato was sucking on his cock fervently now; and Ryu hung on to the hot tightness of Yamato's throat like a drowning man at a life preserver. He felt the pressure build up all the way to its apex; and soon he was flung over the edge, spurting his hot cum all over Yamato's face.

Both Ren and Hayato groaned at the sight. They knew Yamato had pulled himself up on purpose. Neither of them could resist a Yamato creampie. It was their turn to pounce on the dark-haired man, fighting to lick up every single drop of Ryu's delicious cum.

Once they were done, Ren shifted Yamato onto his back and straddled his hips. He grabbed Yamato's cock and impaled himself in one go, moaning loudly at the long-anticipated intrusion.

Hayato gave the tired Ryu one last kiss and took his position behind Ren. He held out a hand to steady Ren's hips and slowly nudged his cock into the already occupied hole.

Ren could feel a slight burn despite the preparation. Nevertheless he bore down on it, pushing himself back to take Hayato in. Both Hayato and Yamato hissed obscenely when they were fully sheathed. They could feel themselves pushed together inside Ren's tight heat.

"God, this is… so unbelievably good." Hayato panted.

Yamato agreed. "Hayato, try moving a little." When he did, Yamato groaned. "That was so fucking good. Are you ready Ren? Are you ready for both of us to fuck your tight ass?"

Ren responded by shifting his hips gently, drawing another moan from both of them.

Yamato was pinned down by Ren's weight, so he couldn't thrust as deep and fast as he wanted; but he could manage some shallow thrusts. Ren rocked himself against Yamato to increase the friction. Hayato knew he had to set the pace, so he began to thrust in and out of Ren.

Predictably, both Ren and Yamato adjusted their movements to match his rhythm, all the while making the most delicious sounds known to mankind. Yamato pulled Ren's lips down for a kiss. Hayato concentrated on Ren's tightness surrounding both his and Yamato's cocks. It was like frotting and fucking at the same time. He increased his pace and resumed his search for Ren's prostrate that he had met briefly.

He knew that he had found it when he heard Ren shout and felt his inner walls clamp down on them almost painfully; resulting in a similar shout from Yamato and him.

"Ren. I can't… I'm going to cum." Hayato panted.

"Go on. We're near too." Ren answered in equal breathlessness. Hayato didn't even question how Ren knew that. He pumped into Ren furiously, occasionally landing a hard slap on Ren's abused ass. The satisfied grunts that met his touch were absolutely rewarding.

He saw Yamato snake a hand down to Ren's crotch and knew that it was time. He pulled out and slammed into Ren one last time; burying his cock as deep as he could. Two resounding shouts of _"Hayato!" _rang in his ears. The next moment, he felt Ren's passage contracted around them and a load of hot semen filled the tight space. The increased warmth finally coaxed Hayato's own seed to make an appearance as well. "Ren!" He screamed. "Oh my god, Ren. Ren. Ren. Ren. Ren. Ren…" He babbled the man's name non-stop as his cock surrendered to sweet nirvana. They stayed there unmoving for 2 whole minutes, before slumping onto the ground in a heap of sweaty, tangled limbs.

A mumble of "geroff" finally gave Hayato the strength to pull out and roll over. Ren did not bother to pull himself apart from Yamato, simply manoeuvring both of them to lie on their sides and cuddled in the afterglow.

"Ryu. Tell the staff to leave us alone until tomorrow morning." Ren mumbled blearily.

Ryu nodded jerkily and went over to the intercom to relay the message, receiving an affirmative answer in response. For a moment he wondered what would happen when the staff see all the cum stains on the floor tomorrow, but found that he didn't care. He, too, was exhausted from cumming twice tonight. He snuggled between Ren and Hayato on the floor and slept.


	19. Chapter 19

"Aren't you four a little old to be passing out naked in a bar?" A familiar voice asked half-amused, half-exasperatedly.

Ren's eyes immediately snapped open and found himself face to face with Shin. "Aniki!" He yelped.

Shin was pleased to note that Ren had not blushed, despite the obvious mortification in his voice. "Hmm, good job hiding the blush. We'll have to work on the yelping though. A Kuroda never gets caught in a compromising position. You should have just acted like it was absolutely normal to pass out from an orgy with three of your best friends and asked me to leave." Shin lectured sternly, although his eyes were twinkling with merriment.

Yamato, Hayato and Ryu, who were starting to gain consciousness; blushed in varying shades of red.

"You're a sadist." Ren grumbled.

"Then you're a masochist for keep coming back for more." Shin shot back.

"Touché." Ren conceded.

"Anyway, get dressed, Ren. There has been an attack." Shin threw him an Oedo clan kimono.

Ren leapt to his feet instantly, not noticing Yamato and Ryu's winces at being shoved aside so suddenly. "Shit! I'm so sorry I wasn't there, Aniki. Are you okay?" He ran his eyes over Shin in panic.

"Relax, Ren. Not on me. The Tenkai clan was attacked at dawn this morning. They've come to us and requested for assistance, protection and sanctuary. I've sent Divisions 3 and 4 to help defend their headquarters. I need you to help me coordinate the rest."

"Is Uncle Tenkai and Kenichi okay?" Ren asked as he dressed quickly, folding the layers and knotting the sashes with practised ease. Even a full ceremonial kimono was no longer a challenge for him. He could put on all 12 layers in his sleep.

"Kenichi is fine, just some minor cuts and scrapes. Uncle Tenkai is not looking so well. They've been brought to the Oedo house. I only had time to staunch the bleeding before I came looking for you. Kumiko is looking after him now. I was hoping Yamato could help." He glanced at the aforementioned person questioningly.

"Of course." Yamato began to search for his clothes among the messy pile on the floor.

"I suppose it's convenient that all of you are here." Shin commented wryly. "Hayato, I need you to go back to the company. We're going to need a lot of cash. Fast. At least 7-8 million yen if possible."

"Yes, sir." Hayato snapped into action.

Shin looked at the last member of the quartet. "No offence, Ryu; but I don't have a need for you. And I hope that I never will, not while you're at your current occupation."

"None taken." Ryu smiled understandingly as he caught the clothes that Hayato threw at him. He sincerely hoped so too. The only time Shin would need a criminal defence lawyer was if he was in jail.

"I've been planning to talk to you though." Shin told him seriously. "You can come along and hang around if you want, we need all the help we can get anyway; or I'll summon you some other day if you would rather not."

"I'll get changed and head over straight away." Ryu replied quickly. He needed to keep his mind off yesterday's events. At least until he can have a heart-to-heart talk with Ren.

"Alright. Ren, Yamato, the car is waiting downstairs. Let's go. Ryu, see you later. Hayato, thanks in advance."

* * *

As they made their way down to the main business area of the bar, Ren looked at the manager. "Clean up the place, and I do not want the staff breathing _a single word_ about anything that happened last night."

"Yes, sir. Of course, sir." The manager bowed to both the Kumichou and the Wakagashira. All of them valued their lives too much to let their tongue slip. One thing for sure though, they would never be able to look at the Wakagashira without blushing ever again.

Shin chuckled. "You needn't have worried, Ren. They are very discreet. Even I had some problems trying to locate you this morning. It wasn't until I revealed that I'm the Kumichou himself that they told me where you were." He said in a low voice.

Ren nodded, impressed at their competence. Perhaps the manager deserved a raise.

* * *

The Oedo house was in total chaos. With the Tenkai clan seeking sanctuary, there were people in every corner of the house. Half of them were Tenkai members; while half of them were Oedo members on standby in case of another attack.

Yamato was quickly led into the guest room where Uncle Tenkai was laying. The man's breath was shallow and his eyes were unresponsive. Yamato directed a stethoscope to his heart. Uncle Tenkai's heartbeat was too fast for his liking.

"How did he get injured?" Yamato asked Kenichi.

"He got shot in the shoulder, back and hip, I think." Kenichi replied.

Yamato was confused. The man was suffering something much worse. He had checked the gunshot wound in the back as his first course of action, but it wasn't fatal. Nothing to warrant the gradual shutting down of his body.

"What treatment was he given?"

"Nothing much, we just carried him in here. Shin stopped the bleeding. Kumiko cleaned his body with a wet cloth, but she didn't go anywhere near the wounds. He has been unconscious since we got here." Kenichi said, getting a little worried at the doctor's expression.

"What's wrong, Yamato?" Shin asked.

Yamato looked at Shin and Kenichi. "I'm going to be honest, alright? His body is shutting down, and I'm not sure what is causing it. The bullet wounds are not severe enough to cause this kind of reaction."

"So what do you have to do?" Kenichi asked.

Yamato took a deep breath. "I can't do anything." He said softly. "Unless I can find out what's causing it."

Both men swallowed in silence. "How long does he have?"

"About 4-6 hours. Maybe up to 48 hours if I intubate him and hook him up to an IV drip."

"Dear god…" Kenichi slumped onto the floor. Shin went to support his cousin.

"Do what you can, Yamato. Make him as comfortable as possible." Shin whispered as he led his distraught cousin out of the room.

* * *

"Yamato. How are you?" Ren's voice floated through the dim room.

Yamato started awake from the chair next to Uncle Tenkai's bed. "Uh. I'm okay."

"Come on, you need to rest too."

"I can't, Ren. He's dying and there's absolutely nothing I can do. I can't just leave him."

Ren crossed the room and pulled Yamato into an embrace. "These things happen, Yamato. You've tried your best. All of us know that. Uncle Tenkai knows that too."

Yamato sat back down on the chair. "I'm missing something, Ren. There has to be a reason why his body is shutting down. The problem is I still can't figure it out."

"Well, you can think about it in the living room, Yamato. You're going to hurt your back if you continue to sit in this chair. You need to eat too, Minami made hotpot for everyone…"

"What did you say?" Yamato interrupted suddenly.

"I said, Minami made hotpot… The one you said was delicious the last time, remember?"

"No, no. Something about a chair."

"I said you're going to hurt your back."

"Oh my god. Can it be?" Yamato rushed passed Ren and ran to the main living room.

"Kenichi," He asked urgently. "Did your father fall at any stage?"

Kenichi looked startled. "Umm… Yeah, he did. He fell and rolled halfway down a ditch when he got shot in the hip. I retrieved him, propped him up against my shoulder and we escaped. Is that related?"

"Did he hit his back or neck against anything?"

Kenichi frowned. "Yeah, a tree stopped him from rolling all the way down. I supposed it's possible that he hit his back on the tree trunk first. I'm not sure."

Yamato's head was spinning as he tried to fit together the pieces of the puzzle. Pre-existing injury to the back, followed by a subsequent impact, made worse by forced prolonged exertion, resulting in unconsciousness, lack of response to stimulus… "Yes! It fits!" He shouted excitedly. "Thank you, Kenichi!"

"It's a spinal injury." Shin said aloud, arriving at the same conclusion as Yamato.

"Yes!" Yamato looked over to Shin. "Get Minami to bring a full spinal support kit and the highest permitted dosage of methylprednisolone." His face fell after he uttered the last part. "Shit, how long has it been since the injury?"

"About 5 hours."

"Shit. The methylprednisolone needs to be administered within 6 hours."

"It's okay, Yamato. Just try your best. I'll call Minami up now."

* * *

Both Yamato and Minami worked feverishly on Uncle Tenkai for more than 6 hours. There was so much to do. First they worked on administering the drugs, then correcting the spinal injury, followed by mending the damage to the hip bone, ending with removing the bullet wounds in the shoulder and back.

Yamato cut the last stitch and heaved a deep breath. This time, he was satisfied that he had tried his best. He wasn't an expert with regard to mending bones, but he did the best he could under the circumstances.

"You did as well as you could, Yamato. I'm sure they understand that." Minami told him gently.

Yamato nodded. He knew Shin and Ren wouldn't blame him, but he wasn't sure how Kenichi and the rest of the Tenkai clan would react. There was a high chance of some form of nerve damage, which they would not be able to determine until Uncle Tenkai woke up. The resulting effect could range anywhere between a temporary minor backache to a permanent full-body paralysis. The delay in treatment also meant that he would walk with a permanent limp, even if he managed to recover enough to get out of bed.

* * *

Miraculously, Kenichi did not blame Yamato one bit; instead he was apologizing profusely for failing to inform the surgeon about the fall. Yamato and Shin had to keep reassuring him that it wasn't his fault. Not many people would have thought that it was significant either, they told him repeatedly.

After a few hours, Kenichi finally recovered from his guilt attack.

"Kenichi," Shin started slowly. "You will have to take over."

Kenichi looked at Shin in pure panic. "I can't, Shin. I'm not ready! I'm not like you!"

Shin gripped Kenichi's arms tightly. "Yes, you are; Tenkai Kenichi. This is _your_ call for duty, and you will not be running away from it! You have dedicated your entire life in anticipation of this day. Do not sully all that effort due to fear!"

"What do I do, Shin?"

Shin stared back at him blankly. "What do you think, Kenichi?"

"I suppose I have to inform my Shatei…" Kenichi trailed off uncertainly.

Shin nodded. "That's always a good start."

"What if there's an uprising?" Kenichi asked desperately, as if it just occurred to him.

"What would you do if there was an uprising; assuming that you had ascended the leadership position in a normal way?"

"Rally the Family and send them out to talk to the men." Kenichi answered automatically.

"And if an internal fight breaks out?" Shin asked.

"We relocate to the Oedo clan headquarters with the leadership seal and set up our fighting base there." He recited studiously.

"And where are you now?" Shin raised an eyebrow.

Kenichi blushed slightly. "I'll summon my Shatei immediately."


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Short and sort of slow-moving chapter, but a necessary filler for later chapters (or rather, the story as a whole). **

* * *

Ryu knocked on the door of Ren's room in the Oedo house. Ren looked up from his work and smiled at Ryu. He couldn't say he hadn't been expecting this visit, for more reasons than one. "Come in, Ryu. Close the door."

Ryu came in and sat down. "I'm guessing that you have an idea what Shin just talked to me about."

Ren nodded. "I do. What did you tell him?"

"I said I'll think about it. What do you think, Ren? I want your input. Do you agree that it will be good for me to go into politics?"

"Depends on how you define 'good', Ryu. Will it be good for the country? Yes. Will it be good for the Oedo clan? Hell yes. But the real question for me is – will it be good for you? Will you be happy, or will you be miserable?"

Ryu sighed. "I don't know. The thing is, if not for last night's events; I would have said no immediately. But it seems like I'm going to have to think twice before accepting something as 'what I want'."

Ren's eyes sparkled in amusement. He couldn't wait to shove this in Shin's face! It was the first time Ren ever had a one-up over his perfect older brother; however accidental it was. "So do you want to talk about last night's events first?"

Ryu nodded. "Hopefully with our clothes on." He joked.

Ren laughed. Ryu being able to joke about it was a good sign. "What's the main thing that's bothering you?"

"Hmm. I'm not sure really. I guess the whole idea that I'm straight, or used to be straight… I don't know anymore! Either way, it feels like my whole life has been a lie." He grumbled.

"Ryu, you've only lost your virginity 6 years ago." Ren said with a straight face. "Even if you find out now that you are as gay as a rainbow – which I don't think you are – I wouldn't call it 'your whole life'." He teased good-naturedly.

Ryu blushed a little. "Okay fine. Maybe I exaggerated a little. But regardless, am I straight or gay or bi and how do I find out? I mean, it's not like we're still in uni and I can just sleep around at some drunken fest to find out."

"Firstly, just to make sure, you don't have a girlfriend now, right?"

"Of course not, Ren. You would be the first person to know if I had one."

"Just double-checking, Ryu. Well, normally most people would just ask you to watch some porn and figure it out on your own, but I know how much both of us loathe those fake performances. So… why don't you imagine a guy and a girl with the characteristics that you admire and see which turns you on?"

"Easier said than done, Ren." Ryu mumbled.

"Okay. I'm going to list some random people we know and even some celebrities. Rate them on a 'would bang' list. 1 being 'will not bang even if at gun point'; and 10 being 'will risk life just to bang once'."

Ryu laughed. Ren tended to have the most outrageous ideas. "Alright. Go ahead."

"Takeda Keita."

"Eww, Ren. He's like a little boy! 3."

**(A/N: I absolutely LOVE Teppei Koike. I'm just saying this from Ryu's POV.) **

"Satoshi Miki from our criminal law tute."

"Nyeh. 5"

"Angelina Jolie."

"8."

"Kuma."

"1, sorry."

"Takasugi Reita."

"6."

"Momoko, your last ex."

"Just her body? 8. But her bitchiness? 0."

"So you would rather shag Kuma than Momoko?"

"You are fucking disgusting, Ren."

"Okay, okay, just kidding! Umm. David Beckham."

"6."

"Victoria Beckham."

"Too skinny. But probably at least a 7."

"My secretary, Saki."

"6."

"Your paralegal. Forgot what's her name. The one with curly hair and glasses."

"Tomoko. 5."

"Gideon, our evidence law lecturer."

"That bald old guy? Okay to be honest… 6. He's old as fuck, but his brain alone is bang-worthy."

Ren chuckled. "I had a crush on him once."

"Holy shit, you too? I thought I had gone around the bend!" Ryu gasped.

"We must be attracted to smart people. Anyway, moving on. Hayato's brother, Taku."

**(Interesting fact: He was played by the same guy who played Honjo in season 3!) **

"5."

"Kamiya Shunsuke."

"7. He looks good as a model."

"Fujisawa Ema."

"The tall girl who co-starred with Take? 8."

"Mizushima Hiro."

"The tall dude from the same movie, right? 6."

"Yankumi."

"Ew. No offence to Shin, but 2."

"Tom Cruise."

"Surprisingly, only 6."

"Cameron Diaz."

"9."

"Kura, my ex-classmate."

"4."

"Uchi, Shin's ex-classmate."

"4."

"My sister, Kaoruko"

"Awkward much; but honestly, 7. You have good genes."

"Thanks. Tsucchi's current girlfriend, the long-legged one."

"Shit, she's fucking hot. 9."

"Yabuki Hayato."

"10. Hey!" Ryu yelled when he realized what he said. Ren smirked at him.

"I think it's safe to say that you're bi, but generally prefer girls… Unless it is a particular playboy we both know…" Ren snickered.

"Shut up. That's not fair. I mean, of course I would rate him higher; I've had a taste of the forbidden fruit, so to speak!"

"Okay, then rate Yamato and I honestly. I won't take offence or act weird, I promise." Ren offered.

"I don't want to piss you off, Ren; but Yamato is a solid 10, if only he's not your boyfriend. As to you... I'm not sure…" Ryu trailed off.

Ren looked at him cautiously. "Ryu, you know I don't think of you that way right?"

"Yeah, I know. I don't think of you that way either. But… I was practically throwing myself at you last night." He looked a little embarrassed at the confession.

"You were confused, Ryu. Your instinct was to latch on to the most dependable thing you can find; which in that case, it was me. Right now, after all that happened last night and what you have discovered now; would you rather kiss Hayato or me?"

"That's a trick question, so I'm not going to answer that. But I get your point."

"So are we good for now?" Ren asked.

"I guess." Ryu answered. There was still the whole Hayato issue to consider, but he thought that it would be a private discussion with his heart.

Ren smiled at his friend and mentee. "I fell in love with my best friend, too, remember? But yeah, take your time to go over your feelings. Just don't hesitate to talk to me if you need help."

Ryu gave him a bitter smile. "You know the sad irony that I've just realized? Even if I actually fall in love with Hayato or Kamiya or any other guy; I won't be able to date them publicly if I decide to dabble in politics. Campaigning for gay rights is one thing; but a gay politician is another thing altogether."

Ren looked at him sympathetically. Ryu was right. There was no way a gay politician would garner enough support to rise through the ranks. The Kuroda Brothers might be able to push him into the House of Representatives with their combined influence, but he would most likely be stuck there for the rest of his life.

"I can't tell you what to do, Ryu. I can only tell you to follow your heart. Prioritize all the different things in your life right now, and make a decision that you won't regret at the end of it."

"I will, Ren. Thanks for everything, by the way."

"Anytime, Ryu. Anytime at all."


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: It's reunion time again! And this time, I brought Takasugi Reita (the ringleader at the end of season 3 as well as in the movie) along as well! He only says like two lines though, because there are too many characters in this scene and obviously the main characters get more 'air time'!**

**Nevertheless, there's a major OC in the next few chapters, and I've pretty much just modelled him after Reita's character. I even gave him the same first name, although he's just referred to as 'Takku' by everyone else. **

* * *

The thirty odd schoolboys from 3-D class in Aoki Gakuen sat in tense silence. Their homeroom teacher, Yamaguchi Kumiko, or more affectionately known as Yankumi, was currently sitting in a disciplinary hearing before the school's Board of Directors and the Parents-Teachers Association. A magazine had leaked that she was actually the wife of a Yakuza boss. It also proceeded to reveal that she had grown up with a Yakuza background all her life, being the granddaughter of a former Yakuza boss as well. For some reason, their actual names and the exact Yakuza clan (or clans) had not been specified; but even that had been enough to spark a frenzy among 'concerned' school directors and parents.

The boys were confused. On one hand, she was the best teacher they have ever had. Perhaps even the _only_ person they considered a teacher in their entire life. On the other hand, their parents had insisted that she was trying to lead them astray; and that it was _her_ fault that they had become delinquents. The last part wasn't true, of course, they were already delinquents before she transferred to their school 2 years ago; but their parents were firm in their beliefs. Their parents had argued that no matter what, she had been trying to convert them into joining the Yakuza.

Takuya Reita, nicknamed 'Takku', their ringleader; stood up abruptly and slammed his hand on the wooden desk. "I don't care what everyone else says. Yankumi has taught me more than both my parents and all those so-called teachers combined. She has never lied to me, whereas my parents and the other teachers have done so repeatedly. I'm not going to allow those idiots to fire Yankumi!"

His best friend Kutta (whose real name was Sakuraba Suzuki, but everyone just called him Kutta because he was always glued to Takku. Takku-Kutta, get it?) stood up as well. "Takku's right, guys. I don't believe that she was trying to make us join the Yakuza. True, the words she used and the life lessons she taught us may have been Yakuza in origin; but how many of us can say that we wished we have never learnt those things? Every single thing Yankumi said or did was for our sake, not for some stupid hidden motive."

One by one, the boys joined in. "You're right. In fact, I think we were more likely to join the Yakuza before she came here than we are now. In the past, we never knew what we wanted for the future; and only knew how to pick a fight."

"Yeah. And that time Mizusawa punched her… She could have fought back, couldn't she? Or set her Yakuza husband on his ass? But she didn't. She just took it in stride and proceeded to give us that lecture about fighting for a reason."

"Yankumi deserves to be here more than any of the other stupid teachers in this school!" Someone yelled.

"Yeah! Come on; let's go and tell those morons that!" They got up as one and headed to the conference room.

* * *

Inside the conference room, Yankumi was sitting quietly in her seat. She didn't mind being fired, no; but she minded leaving her homeroom boys behind. They were still immature and rash and prone to rush headfirst into things; but they were all good kids. Just like all the delinquents she had taught over the years. All they needed was a little more guidance, a little more understanding and a little more patience. The little that she would not be able to give if she was forced to leave now.

"It's your fault that they became delinquents!" A red-faced father was screaming at her. Yankumi didn't respond, knowing that it would be futile to try to convince him otherwise. He had finally found someone other than himself to pin the blame on, so he was definitely adamant on believing it.

"Actually," Principal Sawatari interjected politely. "Mizusawa-kun was already a delinquent since middle school." He and Yankumi still went head to head over the most trivial of things every single day; but it had become something they did out of habit rather than genuine spite. In fact, he really respected her and her ability to rehabilitate delinquent students. He was the one who had offered her the job at Aoki Gakuen once he was (finally) appointed as Principal.

"Principal Sawatari, do not forget that this is your fault too! You admitted that you knew of her background when you hired her! How can you allow such a negative influence around the children?" A school director accused.

"Yes, both of you have caused irreparable damage to our children's futures! How are you going to take responsibility?" Another parent added.

At that exact moment, 3-D burst into the conference room. "Shut up you ugly hag! You are the one who have damaged your own son's future! Whereas Yankumi is the one who is trying to mend all the damage that you have done!" Takku yelled at the parent.

"Omaera, what are you doing here?" Yankumi asked quietly. "I told you to wait in the classroom."

"We couldn't, Yankumi." Kutta explained. "We wanted to tell them how we really feel, that you are the best teacher we've ever had. Why doesn't anyone listen to what we think?!" He turned to face the audience in the room. "All of you adults only know how to jump to conclusions. You don't even know her!"

"And I don't intend to. After all, I make it my business not to know people from the Yakuza, kiddo." A director interjected condescendingly. "Now leave us, you guys are too young to understand what's going on. We're acting in your best interest!"

"Our best interest is to have Yankumi continue to teach us!" One of the boys yelled.

"Nonsense! What all of you need is proper guidance!" Another director rebuked. "Look at all your hair and uniforms! And the way you talk! Obviously this teacher has led all of you astray!"

Suddenly, the door swung opened and a group of young men strode into the conference room with an air of authority and confidence. The first man spoke. "Would it convince you that Yamaguchi-sensei's continued tenure is in the best interest of the boys; if we told you that we are all her former students?"

"Who are you?" The director asked rudely.

The man raised an eyebrow, as though he was genuinely surprised that the director had not recognised him. "Kazama Ren, CEO of the Red Lion Group of Companies. Former delinquent and student of Yankumi." He replied civilly, without any hint of disrespect.

Another man stepped forward, wearing blue scrubs and a white lab coat. "Dr Ogata Yamato, surgical consultant at Natsume General Hospital. Former delinquent and student of Yankumi."

"Odagiri Ryu, public defence lawyer with the Legal Aid Commission. Former delinquent and student of Yankumi."

"Yabuki Hayato, Chief Financial Officer of the Red Lion Group of Companies. Former delinquent and student of Yankumi."

"Uchiyama Haruhiko, Project Development Manager at OS Constructions. Former delinquent and student of Yankumi."

"Minami Youichi, medical intern at Natsume General Hospital. Former delinquent and student of Yankumi."

"Kumai Teruo, owner of Kumai Ramen. Former delinquent and student of Yankumi."

"Noda Takeshi, fashion designer at Marc Jacobs' Japan Division. Former delinquent and student of Yankumi."

"Takeda Keita, actor, singer and entertainer at WaT Entertainment. Former delinquent and student of Yankumi."

"Tsuchiya Hikaru, lead cameraman and assistant lighting director at NHK News. Former delinquent and student of Yankumi."

"Kamiya Shunsuke, model at MS Agency. Former delinquent and student of Yankumi."

"Honjo Kengo, owner of Honjo Tofu Products. Former delinquent and student of Yankumi."

"Kuraki Satoru, mechanic at Shirokin Automobile. Former delinquent and student of Yankumi."

"Ichimura Rikiya, barista at Starbucks by day and bartender at Kentz by night. Former delinquent and student of Yankumi."

"Takasugi Reita, sous chef at Le Bistro. Former delinquent and student of Yankumi."

* * *

All the audience in the room was shocked into silence, including the rowdy boys from 3-D. They stared at the group of well-dressed and well-educated newcomers in disbelief. Those people were… former delinquents?

Grasping the ensuing silence as an opportunity, Ren spoke up again. "We are not here to tell you how to decide, of course. After all, all of you here are the legal guardians of the boys in this school. We are not attempting to dictate whatever their futures may be. That is _your decision_ to make. Therefore, if you still find Yamaguchi-sensei unsuitable for the position, you are in the rightful position to dismiss her." He concluded politely, playing on reverse psychology.

"Will you allow us to discuss this in private, Kazama?" Principal Sawatari asked him quietly, although Ren could detect the slightest tinge of pride in his voice.

"Of course, Principal Sawatari." Ren nodded his head respectfully and gestured his companions to leave. "Perhaps you guys too?" He asked the 3-D schoolboys. Takku frowned slightly, before turning to walk out; followed by all his classmates.

"Yamaguchi-sensei, can you can keep an eye on 3-D temporarily while we make our decision?" Principal Sawatari prompted.

"Of course. I will be in 3-D if you need me." Yankumi excused herself and left.

Just before Ren left the room, Principal Sawatari put a hand on his shoulder. "All of you cleaned up well, Kazama." He whispered, but was just loud enough for the others in the room to hear.

Ren smiled at the man's ingenuity. Who knew that the Crazy Monkey Head Teacher who was always trying to expel them would one day be on their side? "Thanks. We couldn't have done it without Yankumi." He bowed his head and left.

* * *

"How did you know about this, Ren?" Yankumi asked quietly.

Ren turned to look at her with an inscrutable expression. "How do you think?"

"But I didn't tell Shin about it!"

Ren gave her an omniscient look. "The Kuroda Brothers hide things from you, Yankumi; you do **NOT **hide things from the Kuroda Brothers." He looked at Minami pointedly. "And that applies to you too, Minami."

Minami gave Ren a guilty look but nodded dutifully.

"Good. Because I'm meeting your hospital director this Friday." Ren informed him.

Yamato looked at both of them curiously. "What happened, Ren? Why are you meeting the director?"

"Later." Ren murmured, acutely aware that everyone in the vicinity was listening to their conversation. "Can we wait in your classroom?" He addressed Takku, knowing that boys at that age hated being ignored or undermined.

Takku gave an indifferent shrug and walked past them.

The group of them made their way to 3-D classroom. As usual, the delinquent class was placed at the furthest and darkest corner of the school; as if they were some sort of contagious disease that should be kept away from the rest of the student population.

Ren and the seniors walked into the classroom and were immediately hit with a wave of nostalgia. It was a totally different classroom in a totally different school, but all the main 'features' were there – the mess, the graffiti, the swear words on the blackboard – it was 3-D alright.

"Whoa." Uchi, Minami, Noda and Kuma chorused.

Ren watched them in amusement. "Feeling old?" He teased.

Uchi shook his head in disbelief. 3-D felt like a lifetime ago to them. "You have no idea."

"So who's on the Delinquents List right now?" Hayato tried to make conversation with the schoolboys to dispel the awkwardness.

"Number 1 last year was Azuki Hito from Karatsumori High." A mousy-faced boy in front answered. The 'sitting hierarchy' was the same too. The head of the class right at the back, and the runt of the class right in the front. Ryu remembered sitting at the front of the class for a whole week when he first came back to school. That had stung almost as much as Hayato's refusal to speak to him.

"Eh, really? What happened to your record, Yankumi?" Yamato gave her a friendly poke in the shoulder.

Yankumi stifled a smile. "They were still in 2-D last year." She said by way of explanation.

"Ah. That explains it then. Do you guys think you stand a chance when you graduate this year?" Ryu asked Takku and his group.

Takku totally ignored him. Kutta hesitated before speaking up. "We don't know. Takku will probably make it though." He looked at his best friend and leader admiringly.

"Come on, be more confident in yourselves!" Kuma told them cheerfully. "Yankumi's students have always been top delinquents for as long as we know."

"Really?" The rest of the boys – except for Takku – were leaning in closer now; eager to find out more.

"Stop influencing them, you guys." Yankumi lectured half-heartedly. She was secretly proud of her students' achievements. After all, her first student and husband had been a top delinquent too.

"Stop pretending, Yankumi." Reita grinned at her. "You treated me to a meal when I became top delinquent!"

All the other former students crowded around Yankumi upon hearing Reita's statement. "What is this blasphemy?" "Where are our meals?" "How can you play favourites, Yankumi?" "Are you saying that you're not proud of us?" They berated her one by one.

The 3-D boys were impressed. All of these men had been top delinquents! It was almost unimaginable, seeing them in their fancy suits and uniforms right now. They looked like intelligent and respectable men, a far cry from the useless delinquents that the 3-D boys currently felt they were.

They were interrupted by the door sliding open. It was Principal Sawatari. The noise in the room died at once. "Yamaguchi-sensei, a moment please."

Yankumi swallowed and went out of the room.

* * *

"Go on guys, eat as much as you want!" Yankumi declared happily.

"Really? Can we get dumplings too?" One of the boys asked.

"And more chashu?" Another boy asked hopefully.

"Of course, get whatever you want; I will pay for however much you guys can eat today!" Yankumi responded enthusiastically.

* * *

_(Three hours, 50 bowls of ramen, 15 extra serves of chashu and 10 plates of dumplings later…) _

"That will be 97 thousand yen, Yankumi." Kuma said cheerfully.

"NINETY-SEVEN THOUSAND? FOR RAMEN? How much did you guys eat?" She turned to look at them in horror.

"You said to eat as much as we can!" The boys informed her mischievously.

"I can't afford nearly 100 thousand yen just on ramen! I don't care; you guys have to chip in! Everyone, pay up at least 1000 yen! The older ones, 2000 yen!"

Everyone, old and young, broke into a loud protest. "No fair, you said you were going to treat us!" "You're our teacher!" "We're here because we're celebrating with you!" "You already owe us for not buying us a meal for being top delinquent!" "We didn't go to work today because of you!"

Ren just smiled and handed Kuma his credit card. He knew that this was going to happen. After all, Yankumi 'treated' her students every year. "Go on, charge it all to me."

"Are you sure? Alright then." Kuma busied himself with the bill.

Ren signed the receipt without a single glance. He trusted Kuma enough.

"Alright guys, stop squabbling! The bill's been paid for." Kuma announced. "Now shoo, so that my other customers can come in!" He said in jest.

"Eh? Paid for? Who did?" Yankumi looked at Kuma in bewilderment. She spotted Ren who was leaning against a pillar with an amused expression on his face. That's right; he had been curiously absent from the group that was hounding her a moment ago. "It's you, isn't it? Well, I can't say that it's unfair… After all you are the highest paid one among all of us…" She reached out to elbow him, which he of course avoided with practised ease.

He gave her a pointed look. "I didn't pay because of that, _Nee-san._" He emphasized the last word.

Yankumi – who had received proper lessons in diplomatic speak from her patient husband – understood the undercurrent of Ren's statement immediately. He had only called her Nee-san twice in his entire life. Once on her wedding day when he was required to pay his respects to his Aniki's wife; and once today. He was telling her that she has and will always be his family. She wasn't just a former teacher or even a teacher who had changed his life. She was more than that. She was his sister-in-law. And just as he had stepped up to pay for her today, he would step in to protect her as often as he needed to.


	22. Chapter 22

**(A/N: Mentions of sexual offences – please skip to chapter 23 if it may trigger an undesirable flashback for you. There will be a brief summary at the start of the chapter to allow you to catch up with the story.)**

* * *

Unfortunately, their fun and laughter did not last for long. The moment they stepped out of the restaurant, a group of gangsters accosted Takku.

"Why, what do we have here?" One of the men sneered sarcastically. "Little Takuya and a bunch of rich pimps. Are you selling your pretty piece of ass, boy? Does this mean that you finally have the money to pay me?"

"Shut up!" Takku growled fiercely. "You keep them out of this, Ueda!"

The man gave him a sickening leer. "Ah, you aren't good enough, then? You can always sell yourself to me, Takuya. I've told you that many times. I'll write-off half your father's debt if you give me a taste of that pretty little bottom of yours."

"WHY YOU LITTLE PIECE OF…" Yankumi shouted at him furiously, before Ren pulled her back.

"Yankumi, you're on _probation_, remember?" He said in a low tone. That was the Board and the PTA's decision. Yankumi and all of 3-D were to be on probation until the end of the year. If she or the boys got into trouble between now and then; she would be fired summarily. "Let me handle this. Make sure you hold the boys back too."

Ren strode forward to confront the man. "You seemed to have misunderstood something, mister. You mentioned that the debt belongs to Takuya's father, so why are you harassing the boy?"

The man narrowed his eyes at him. "Stay out of this, you snit!"

"I'm afraid I can't. I don't believe in sexual harassment." Ren answered resolutely.

"I'm not sexually harassing him. I'm offering him a _business proposition_." The man smirked.

Ren responded with equal bite. "Then may I suggest that you offer that _business proposition_ to his father; instead of Takuya?"

"You cocky son of a bitch! Don't think that you can tell me what to do just because you're rich!" The man spat, before suddenly breaking into a sneer. "What say you fight me? If you win, I won't bother little Takuya ever again. But if you lose, you will stay out of my way."

Yamato, Ryu and Hayato sniggered internally. This man didn't know what he was getting himself into.

Ren remained unperturbed. "Now that's just stupid. How much does his father owe you anyway?"

"One million yen." The man stated arrogantly.

Ren turned back to look at Takku. "Is that correct?"

"It's none of your business!" Takku snapped back at him.

"I'm trying to help you here, Takuya." Ren said patiently. "And no," He interrupted before the boy could protest. "I'm not helping you because I think that you are weak or helpless or pitiful. I'm helping you because it's the right thing to do. And because I hate scums like these."

Takku gave a petulant huff but nodded reluctantly.

"Very well." Ren took out his cheque book. "This is one million yen. But—" He held it higher before the man could take it. "On the condition that you do not bother Takuya _ever_ again. Or else." There was a small trace of warning in his voice.

"Alright, alright. Now give me the money!" The man snatched the cheque and left.

"Why did you do that?!" Takku yelled at him angrily. He was embarrassed and humiliated at the experience. Especially with Yankumi, the seniors and all his friends watching.

"You _will_ pay me back, Takuya. With interest. And not only that, until the debt is repaid in full; you will work at my company – without any kind of harassment I assure you – every Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after school. If it is not repaid by the end of the school year, then you will work with me full time until you can pay it off. Is that acceptable?"

Takku swallowed. "Whatever. It's not like you gave me a choice." He responded sullenly and stalked off, his friends following closely behind him.

* * *

"Ne, Takku." Kutta persuaded his best friend. "It's not so bad, right? It's not like he's letting you go easily or anything. In fact, it sounds like a hard bargain! You're probably going to have to work your ass off. He doesn't look like the kind of guy who appreciates slacking. And you finally managed to shake off that creep!"

Takku shuddered at the reminder. Yes, that was one part he was very relieved with. That man, Ueda, had been approaching him more and more frequently, with increasingly lewd comments and suggestions. It made his skin crawl. He sighed. "I suppose. He should have asked for my opinion first though!"

"Takku, you were there as well." Another friend piped up. "Not that I'm taking Kazama-senpai's side, but it was obvious that there wasn't much room for discussion."

"Don't worry, Takku. We'll help you repay Kazama-senpai as fast as possible." His other friend added.

Takku nodded gratefully. He was starting to feel better about Ren's help. And surprisingly, none of his friends seemed to think any less of him for it.

A nasty voice interrupted his thoughts. "I knew I have hit the jackpot when I saw you with that rich guy today."

They looked up abruptly to find Ueda and his men surrounding them.

"What else do you want?" Takku tried to keep his voice even, while pushing his friends behind him.

"Do you even have to ask? You, of course! Just say yes, little Takuya, and I'll let all your little friends go."

"You promised Kazama-senpai that you won't be bothering Takku again!" Kutta argued.

Ueda grinned evilly. "I did, but the rest of you guys are still free game, are you not?"

"Don't you dare touch my friends!" Takku bellowed protectively.

"Why alright, perhaps we can work something out if you come with me…" Ueda was eying Takku like a piece of meat, which sent a chill down all the boys' spines.

"No, Takku!" All of them yelled in unison. "You would have to get through all of us to get to Takku!"

"Guys!" Takku said in a hushed whisper. "Have you guys forgotten that we're all on probation? If we get into another fight, Yankumi will be fired!"

"But Takku…" Kutta protested.

"I'll be fine. I'll run away before he can…" He winced slightly at the thought. "…touch me."

"Are you sure, Takku?" His friends asked worriedly.

Takku nodded. "Go. Now." He raised his voice to speak to Ueda. "Fine. But only if you let all my friends get out of here first."

Ueda gave a disturbing grin. "Run along now, boys. I'll take _good care_ of your friend."

* * *

"Yankumi! Yankumi!" A frantic voice called out.

Yankumi and the four stodges (Ren, Yamato, Ryu and Hayato) stopped in their tracks instantly.

"What's wrong, Kutta?"

"They've got Takku!" He screamed hysterically. "Please help him, Yankumi. We don't know what to do… Takku made us leave 'cause we promised not to get into any more fights…"

Yankumi's eyes were blazing in anger. "Those fucking bastards!"

This time, it was Ryu that held her back. "Yankumi, calm down. You can't get involved in this. Even if your actions are justified, it's too soon after today's disciplinary hearing. They simply won't believe it."

Hayato stepped in. "We'll go. Trust us, Yankumi."

"Yankumi, I promise to do everything within my ability to save Takuya if you promise me to stay out of this." Ren said. She recognised the statement. It was similar to how Shin always promised to come back to her as long as she promised him to stay safe.

She wasn't sure how well the others could still fight nowadays, but she knew that Ren was a much more skilful fighter than she was. And _everything within his ability _meant all the resources available to both Kazama Ren and Kuroda Ren; which was also more than she could offer. "Alright." She conceded. "Please take care of him, Ren."

"Lead the way, Kutta-kun." Yamato commanded.

* * *

They went back to the place Kutta had split up with Takku. As predicted, Ueda and his men had left.

"Psst! Kutta!" One of the schoolboys peeked out from behind a bush. "We've formed a human breadcrumb trail. We were afraid that if we all followed Takku at once, we would get caught and no one will know where he is. So we decided to station ourselves every hundred metres or at every turning; up to where he is being kept. That way, even if the person at the final destination gets caught, we'll know the rough vicinity of where Takku is, or at least the general direction they are heading."

Ren was beyond impressed. These high school boys were good. The look on Yamato, Ryu and Hayato's faces clearly showed that they shared his opinion. It demonstrated that the boys actually recognized their greatest strength and weakness; and had used that knowledge wisely. He guessed that their extended time with Yankumi made a difference. Yankumi had been with them for almost 2 years now; as opposed to just 3 months with Ryu and Hayato in Kurogin, and slightly over 6 months with Ren and Yamato in Akadou.

"What happens if they get into a car?" Ren asked.

"Then the last person will text us all the information they can get; for example the number plate, or the model and colour of the car, or the name of their destination, if it is revealed."

_'Not bad.'_ Ren gave a curt nod and the four of them began to follow the human 'breadcrumbs'.

They caught up with Takku just as Ueda was forcing him into a car. Takku was kicking and struggling, but there were too many of them restraining him. Ren knew that they had to move swiftly before Ueda could get away. It would be a lot more difficult to track him down if he had left their sight.

Shooting a meaningful look at his 3 friends, Ren gave a deliberate nod.

* * *

It was then that the students from 3-D Aoki Gakuen realized that despite their business suits and ties, these guys were true top delinquents at heart. All four of them sprang into action with the force of a level 5 typhoon. Their fists were firm and merciless against Ueda and the gangsters. They had no qualms about twisting joints or breaking bones. They didn't shy away in fear; even when they saw an unavoidable hit coming towards them. They simply took the impact and retaliated accordingly without as much as a wince.

Kazama-senpai and Ogata-senpai fought like they shared a mind. It was as if they could predict each other's next move even without any words or signals. The Odagiri-senpai and Yabuki-senpai combination was similar. They moved fluidly, complementing each other's strengths and weaknesses. Their opponents didn't even stand a chance.

Not 5 minutes later, Ueda and all 10 of his men had fallen. Ren walked over to Takku; who had to admit that he was, indeed, shaking in fear this time. He had not been able to make his escape, despite his many desperate attempts. And they had _touched_ him! He felt dirty and used, even if it was through his clothes. "Are you okay?" Ren asked him concernedly.

"Any serious injuries?" Yamato piped up beside him. Takku shook his head, not trusting himself to speak.

Ren looked at Ryu. He had the most experience with traumatised victims, due to his active involvement in human rights abuse and criminal cases. "Shin's old apartment is nearby. Why don't you bring him there? I'm sure Takuya would appreciate the privacy." He tossed Ryu a set of keys.

Ryu nodded in affirmation. He draped his suit jacket over Takku and led him away from the scene.

Ren saw Kutta and the other boys' worried expressions at Takku's departing figure. "He's safe with Ryu; but if you insist, then one of you can follow him." Kutta immediately stepped forward. "I must tell you to remain quiet though – even unseen if possible – and not to speak to him unnecessarily. What he needs right now is professional attention."

Kutta nodded quickly to show that he understood.

* * *

A few hours of counselling later, Takku was beginning to recover from his ordeal. Only time and continuous support – which Ryu had assured that he would offer – would heal the rest.

Ryu nodded approvingly at Takku's progress. "Alright then, ready to face your best friend?"

"Please don't tell him anything that I told you."

Ryu smiled. "I've already told you from the start, Takku-kun. No one except the two of us will know what we talked about today. I've told you some of my secrets too, remember? Will you promise to keep it?"

Takku gave a tiny smile in return. "I will. Thanks, Ryu-senpai."

* * *

Ren, Yamato, Hayato and Kutta were sitting outside in the living room, chatting comfortably.

Kutta leapt out of his seat immediately when he saw Takku coming out of the room, before remembering Ren's advice from earlier. His steps faltered. "Umm…"

Takku took a deep breath. Ryu-senpai had discussed this with him, about how he should react to his friends. Ryu-senpai had told him that they were not judging him, only concerned about him; and that it would be easier to just tell them directly what was okay and what made him uncomfortable. "You can act normally around me, Kutta. Just don't sneak up behind me for a while."

Kutta nodded and slung his arm over Takku's shoulder as he always did. "I'm glad you're okay, Takku."

Takku looked at the rest of the seniors. "Thanks, Kazama-senpai, Ogata-senpai and Yabuki-senpai." He said quietly.

Ren smiled. "Just call me Ren, and you're welcome."

"Same here, Yamato is fine. And don't mention it."

"Hayato. I should be the one thanking you. I'm so glad that you're okay. I was beginning to worry that Yankumi is going to use me as target practice." Hayato joked in typical fashion.

Ren slapped Hayato's head. "Stop being so selfish, will you? And plus, I would be first in line! At least you would have time to run once you receive news of my disappearance." He grinned.

"Nuh-uh. You know very well that you can protect yourself against her. And you won't allow her to touch Yamato either. Ryu's workplace is full of police and stuff, so she wouldn't go near him if she can help it. So logically, I'm the first choice." Hayato rationalised mock-sternly; drawing the rest of them into a loud guffaw.

"But Hayato-senpai, you work with Ren-senpai don't you? Why would he protect Yamato-senpai and not you?" Kutta asked confusedly.

Ren shot Ryu a questioning look and got a slight shake of the head in response. _'Not yet.' _Ren smiled at Takku and Kutta genially. "Yamato and I were classmates and best friends; whereas Ryu and Hayato were our seniors. That's why I'm closer to Yamato than Hayato."

"Who was the leader during your times, senpai-tachi?" Takku asked curiously. It was hard to discern, seeing as all four of them fought so well. He had initially thought that they were all class leaders from different years.

Yamato snorted. "Boy, that's an interesting story." Deciding that the boys needed a distraction, he launched into his story. "Ren and I were from two different classes in second year, and were the 'bosses' of our respective classes. For some reason, the school administrators decided to put both of us into the same class in our third year. Obviously, that didn't go well."

"We were fighting every day." Ren continued. "Our entire class was divided into two factions because of the enmity between us. The worse thing was that Yamato and I had totally different characters. I think that confused our classmates a lot. Some of them weren't directly involved in our enmity, but they still didn't know which of us to emulate. Yamato had this cool persona going on whereas I had the whole energetic concept…"

"Energetic is a gross understatement." Yamato interrupted. "You were practically a circus clown overdosed on caffeine. You _jumped_ over everything and made your sidekicks applause, for goodness sake!"

Ren was tempted to add _'and you still fell in love with me'_, but held himself back for Takku's sake. He settled on sticking his tongue out at Yamato.

Yamato, however, had seen the hidden message in Ren's eyes all the same and blushed slightly. "Anyway, we were fighting like cats and dogs. And guess what?" He asked Takku and Kutta rhetorically.

"Yankumi came in and did something, didn't she?" Kutta volunteered.

"Another understatement." Yamato grinned. "She practically locked us into a closet and forced us to reconcile. No, I take that back. Even the closet would have a lot less painful. Her great reconciliation plan led to Ren getting arrested by the police and almost getting expelled, me getting beaten into a pulp, me beating someone into a pulp, my sidekicks and I getting beaten into a pulp, Ren and his sidekicks getting beaten into a pulp, and finally ending with all of us getting beaten into a pulp together."

"Well, I'm not going to complain. It worked." Ren said humorously. "For some reason, we became best friends almost instantly; so we just kinda shared the whole leadership thing afterwards. We never disagreed, so it wasn't a problem."

"Ours is similar, but slightly more complicated than that." Hayato commented. "Ryu was the former ringleader of the class and I was his best friend and most loyal sidekick since like forever – yeah, a bit like you, Kutta." He said when he noticed the look Kutta was sporting. "Due to a massive misunderstanding, however; we got into a fight and… I kinda drove him out of school and took his place."

Kutta looked absolutely scandalized at that thought. He could never imagine himself turning against Takku. And to usurp his position! That was simply unthinkable.

"What do you mean 'drove him out of school'?" Takku asked. "Did you get him expelled?"

Hayato gave a sardonic laugh. "Me, the nobody Yabuki Hayato, getting the great Odagiri Ryu expelled? No way!"

"Why, what's so special about him? No offence, Ryu-senpai."

"None taken, Takku-kun. Don't worry. And I'm not special. Just have a nosy father who used to intervene in all my affairs."

"I have to say though, Ryu; I'm glad that your father was rich and powerful enough to force the superintendent into allowing you to stay in school. I mean, where would you be today if not for that?" Hayato asked. "But having said that; yes, his dad is a total bastard." He informed the two boys.

"Thanks for the glowing review of half of my genetic make-up, Hayato." Ryu said sarcastically.

"No worries!" Hayato called back. "So… the thing is, we reconciled once the misunderstanding was cleared, of course; but that left us with two leaders in a class that was used to only having one alpha. I couldn't back down either, because that would just throw the entire dynamic of the class off-balance. By then, I was already their leader for a good 6 months, you see. I was literally pulling at my wit's ends when Ryu told me that I can keep the position. He settled into becoming my best friend and somewhat co-leader, although it wasn't really official like Ren and Yamato."

"So basically all of you were joint leaders." Takku concluded.

"Yeah. If you want to talk to a true alpha, I suggest you try Shin or Reita."

"Who's Shin?" Both Takku and Kutta asked in unison.

Ren glared at Hayato. That man tended to be too quick with his mouth.

Kutta belatedly recalled something he had overheard earlier. "Wait, you mentioned that this is Shin's apartment, right?"

Ren opened his mouth to speak, knowing that the others would not dare say anything after Hayato's disastrous slip. "Yeah. Shin is… I trust you guys can keep a secret?" He waited until both of them nodded before continuing. "Shin is Yankumi's husband. And before you ask – yes, he is her former student; and no, she did not persuade him to join the Yakuza in any way. In fact, she fought hard to make him leave when she found out that he had joined the Yakuza. He simply refused to back down."

Takku and Kutta were mirroring identical looks of shock and horror on their faces. "But he was a student… like us!" Takku finally squeaked in an undignified manner.

"It's different, Takuya." Ren tried to explain. "You have to remember that Yankumi was more than 10 years younger than she is now. The age difference between them is not that great. Honestly, if you met a girl just a few years older than you who is confident, strong-spirited, matured and caring – would you not fall in love with her as well?"

"I guess…" Takku conceded, although he still looked slightly disconcerted. "Why did he join the Yakuza then?"

Ren sighed. "I'm afraid that's a personal question, Takuya. But all of us can tell you that Shin is the best leader we've ever met. There used to be a legend about him, that he can freeze people in their steps just by walking into the same room and silence a riot with a single word. Sounds farfetched, yes? Well, we can tell you first-hand that it is true."

Yamato decided to speak up. "You've seen today that whatever our occupations may be, we're all delinquents at heart. We fight hard for the things that are important to us. What you will learn over time is that fighting is not just limited to physical combat; but it can be a mental and emotional struggle as well. I pushed myself through medical school and became a doctor, not because I was smart or ambitious; but because I couldn't bear seeing my friends getting injured and not being able to help them. Ryu defied his father's wishes and became a public defence lawyer, because he wanted to do something to help the underprivileged. Ren and Hayato too, have their own motivations for doing what they are doing right now. I can assure you that none of us chose our respective jobs _just_ to make a living. Shin, too, is a true delinquent at heart; just as much as you and I. He protects what is dear to him. However he chooses to do so is none of our business."

The boys nodded slowly. They had a lot to think about.

* * *

"Ryu, a moment please." Ren beckoned his mentee to the kitchen.

Ryu got up and joined him. "What's up, Ren?"

"What do you suggest we do with Takuya's attackers?" Ren asked.

"Hmm. You want to ask Takku-kun but you're not sure if it's safe to bring them up." Ryu deciphered.

Ren nodded. "Should I ask him? Or should I just make the call myself?"

Ryu scrunched up his forehead. "It's going to be a little distressing for him, but I think he would prefer to have his opinions sought. Tell him that he can leave the decision to you if he doesn't want to think about it."

They both walked back to the living room. "Takuya, there's something we want to ask you." Ren gave a meaningful look at Hayato and Yamato, who promptly led Kutta away from the discussion.

Takku shifted uneasily. He didn't like the sound of that. "Umm. Okay. Feeling a little uncomfortable now by the way, but I think Ryu-senpai knows that."

Ryu sat down beside him. "You can stop the conversation anytime. Just tell me if it gets too much."

Ren took a deep breath. "We want to ask you how you want those scums punished."

Takku frowned. "What do you mean? Don't the police decide that?"

Ren smirked. "I'm sure you've realized by now that the most beautiful thing about being a delinquent is that we don't tend to follow the rules, Takuya."

"But that's illegal!" Takku argued.

"Only if you get caught." Ren said shortly. "No." He answered before Takku could ask the question. "I'm not revealing any more than that. So, what's it going to be?"

Takku fidgeted slightly. "What will happen if you hand them over to the police?" He asked finally.

"Ryu?" Ren directed.

Ryu thought for a while, weighing all the facts of the case. "We'll lodge a formal police report, and the state prosecutor will charge him with sexual assault and attempted rape of a minor. If he is found guilty by the judge, he will be imprisoned for a minimum of 13 years with 10 years non-parole period, and registration as a sex offender for up to 30 years."

"Chances of a guilty verdict?" Ren probed.

"Depends on how good his lawyer is, Ren. Objectively, it's about 50-50. If all of us step forward to testify, maybe around 60%."

Takku spoke up in a small voice. "Will I have to testify too?"

Ryu looked at him apologetically. "Yes. And as you will be coming of age soon, we can't interview you in a separate room either. You'll have to stand in court. I find it prudent to inform you as well that the entire trial will take 2 to 3 years at least, including the intermittent waiting periods."

Takku burrowed his head into Ryu's side. "I don't want to see him again." He said in a muffled voice.

Ryu reached out to pat his head. "Would you rather Ren deal with them then?"

"What are you going to do to them?" Takku asked Ren, his face still hidden.

Ren's heart ached to see the once so defiant young man becoming so vulnerable. "Anything, Takuya. Imprison him, beat him, cripple him, castrate him, kill him – you name it." Ren was usually a lot more merciful, but this man had deliberately disobeyed his warning and hurt someone under his protection, not to mention that the offence was committed on the Oedo clan's turf; so Ren decided that he was fair game.

"Will I get into trouble for that?"

"No, you won't be laying a finger on them, so you'll be fine."

"Will you get into trouble then?"

Ren brooded momentarily, considering how much he should reveal. "Probably not. I don't have to touch them either if that makes you feel better."

"Then how…"

"I have my ways." Ren said with a tone that brooked no further questions. "If you're not ready to make the ultimate decision, Takuya; then you can leave it to me. Be rest assured that they will be sufficiently punished. I just wanted you to choose between legal and… private methods."

"Takku-kun, will you consent to leave the decision to Ren?" Ryu prodded gently at the bundle that had planted itself firmly in his side.

Finally, a head peaked out and gave a tiny nod before disappearing again.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for those who opted to skip through chapter 22 for personal reasons – Takku was sexually harassed by a man named Ueda whom his father owed money to. Ren paid the debt for him and made him work at the Red Lion Group until the debt is repaid. Takku is later attacked by Ueda and rescued by Ren and the rest of the gang. Due to Takku's emotional trauma, Ryu becomes his mentor.**

* * *

Shin was sitting the living room alone sipping some saké when Yankumi got home. There were no signs of any of the other family members around.

"Tadaima." Yankumi said softly.

Shin did not respond. He slowly set the sakazuki down on the table and stood up. Finally, he turned his attention on Yankumi. "What have you learnt today, Kumiko?"

"To never hide things from you." She murmured contritely.

"Good. Okaeri." He opened his arms to welcome her into a hug.

"I'm sorry, Shin." She whispered as he held her. "It's just that I didn't want you to feel bad about it…"

He kissed her lovingly. "Kumiko, do you really think that I haven't been expecting this? I, who was the first student to find out about your family background? I, who defied all societal expectations and joined the same Yakuza family? I, who asked you to marry the 4th generation Kumichou of the Oedo clan?"

"I… was treating you as my student again, wasn't I?" Yankumi smiled guiltily.

"Yes." Shin nodded. "But I forgive you. Just remember, Kumiko, I live every single day as a testimony of the decisions that I have made. I will never regret marrying you or taking over the Oedo clan. Both you and the clan are the best things that have ever happened to me in my entire life."

Yankumi blushed shyly at the heartfelt confession. "Thank you, Shin. I don't regret marrying you either."

"That's to be expected. I'm the perfect lover after all." Shin grinned cheekily.

Yankumi reached out to elbow him, but this time he did not move away. He didn't wince either when it dug him in the ribs. He just looked straight at her. "See, Kumiko, I can take anything you can ever throw at me in stride. I will never shy away from you, no matter how big the problem may be."

She smiled and nodded. His teasing earlier was reminiscent of the boy she once knew as Sawada Shin, but she knew that he was no longer that boy. The man before her, the man she married, and the man she loved was Kuroda Shin; inside and out. And she wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

"So, what's up with Minami and the director, Ren?" Yamato asked when they finally got home.

Ren busied himself running the bath. "Hmm? Oh, he got caught stealing the drug you used on Uncle Tenkai. Apparently you need to use your ID to enter the room or something. His ID was recorded, so he was called in for questioning."

Yamato gasped in horror. "Oh my god, it's all my fault! I forgot that it was a highly controlled substance! I'll come with you on Friday to see the director."

"Don't be silly." Ren said sternly. "It's no one's fault. Even if it was, it would have been our collective fault. And Yamato, haven't you learnt anything from today's events?"

Yamato looked at him confusedly.

Ren sighed. "The lesson Aniki and I want all of you to know is that; no matter what happens, we'll protect every single one of you till the very end. Yamato, you once told me that it didn't matter how good of a surgeon you are if you cannot help the ones you love. Well, to Aniki and I, it doesn't matter how much influence we wield if we cannot help the ones we love. So allow us to take care of the messy stuff, alright?"

"Alright, Ren." Yamato conceded. "The director is in need of research funds by the way, because no one wants to support his research about using HIV to treat leukaemia. And he wants to set up a new hospital in his hometown in rural Hokkaido."

Ren smiled. "Thank you, Yamato. Now come on, the bath is ready."

* * *

The following Tuesday, Takku found himself at the entrance of the Red Lion Group of Companies building. He sighed and walked in. There was no point delaying the inevitable.

To his surprise, despite his rugged uniform and unkempt hair, no one batted an eyelash at his appearance. The security guard in the lobby just told him to put his schoolbag through the scanner and to walk through the metal detector. When he set off the metal detector, the guard simply told him to double-check his pockets and to try again. In the past, Takku would have immediately been interrogated and accused of 'being up to no good'.

He wondered if it was Ren that told them to lay off him, but it seemed unlikely as the receptionist at the counter had to ask him who he was looking for. She even had to call Ren's personal secretary to check if Takku was scheduled to meet the CEO. And when the fact was confirmed by the secretary, Takku was sent on his way – oddly unsupervised – with a visitor pass.

He knocked on Ren's office door.

"Enter."

"Umm. I'm here, Ren-senpai."

"Indeed. You're punctual; I'm quite pleased with that. Take a sit, Takuya." Takku complied dutifully, sneaking a look at the large office. It was slightly larger than 3-D's classroom. All the walls were made of one-way glass; so Ren could see everything that was going on outside his office, but no one could look in. Rows of mahogany shelves on the right side of the office displayed all the numerous trophies and certificates and whatnots that had been presented to him and the company. Takku estimated that there must be at least 50 awards on the shelf. The office, however, was strangely bereft of personal memorabilia; such as family photos and travel souvenirs.

Ren smiled at him. "So, Takuya, tell me what you're good at."

"Uhh." Takku hesitated. He doubted that fighting counted. "I'm not very good at anything academic-related." He admitted in embarrassment.

"Okay. In that case, is there anything in particular that you want to be good at?"

"Er, no. Not really."

To his credit, Ren did not seem to be fazed by his answer; and did not deem it necessary to lecture him about it either. He simply nodded understandingly. "Alright, in that case, you'll be rotating among all the different departments. We'll start with the finance department for the first month, shall we? That way, Hayato will be there to help you get settled. And Takuya, remember that this is a job; not a punishment. Feel free to tell me or any of your supervisors if you can't cope with the workload, or if you would like to stay at a particular department or switch departments."

Takku was startled. That sounded surprisingly… acceptable. And Ren had not been the slightest bit condescending, despite being in a much more superior position than he was. "Umm. Okay."

Ren nodded and pressed on his intercom. "Saki, please get CFO Yabuki to come to my office."


	24. Chapter 24

Work at the Red Lion Group turned out to be surprisingly pleasant for Takku. Everyone treated him civilly, even though he was the most junior member on the staff. He was scolded a few times, but only when he deserved it. And even then, they only referred to his mistakes. No one mentioned the fact that he was a delinquent, or blamed him for not having basic knowledge with regards to business. Whenever he was given a task, he was also given precise instructions on what to do; not just left to figure out on his own.

Subconsciously, Takku began to turn up for work with his shirt buttoned up and tucked neatly into his pants. His language became more refined and respectful, even when he was around his friends. He found himself paying attention to the news headlines just to keep abreast of current events that were often discussed in the office.

Kutta looked at his friend admiringly. Takku was still a delinquent, yes; but he was a smart delinquent – if that made any sense. He was turning into the likes of Ren and Yamato and Ryu and Hayato senpai-tachi. Kutta was certain that his best friend would one day be as successful as the four men.

It was a Friday, so Takku didn't have to go to work. All of their friends always made sure that they hung out with Takku on Mondays and Fridays so that he would not feel like he was missing out.

"So… where to?" Mukai, a skinny boy asked.

"Where do you wanna go, Takku?" Kutta asked.

"Hmm. There's a new cosplay café near my office. I think the waitresses are dressed in sailor moon outfits this week… I thought you guys might want to check it out." Takku smirked at his friends, who were already starting to drool.

"YES YES LET'S GO!" All of them yelled excitedly, no doubt thinking about the tiny skirts and creamy thighs.

* * *

As they were about to leave the café a few hours later, Takku patted his pockets frantically.

"What's wrong, Takku?" Kutta immediately asked his friend.

"I can't find my wallet." Takku frowned. "Maybe I left it at work yesterday? Let me run there and check. I'll only be about 5 minutes."

"It's okay. I'll pay for you first." Kutta offered.

Takku shook his head. "I'll need it for the weekend too. I can't survive until Tuesday afternoon without my wallet."

The other boys were of course more than happy to have an excuse to loiter around in the café for a few more minutes. "Go ahead, Takku. We'll sit back down to wait for you."

Takku nodded and sprinted to the office. He turned a corner at full speed and accidentally knocked into a man, sending both of them sprawling onto the ground. "Sumimasen." He muttered hastily as he got up to leave.

"Wait a minute boy, you knocked my boss onto the ground and you want to leave just like that? Not a chance!" Another man grabbed him by his collar.

Takku was annoyed to say the least. "It was an accident, and I already apologized, you fucktard!" He spat back, shoving the man's hand off his collar and onto the ground.

"Why you little piece of—"

"What's going on here?" A familiar voice interrupted.

Takku looked up. "Ryu-senpai!"

Ryu walked over. "What are you two doing here?"He asked the two men. "And picking a fight nonetheless? I know for a fact that this is not your turf, Tarou."

"How do you know who I am?" The man whom Takku knocked down by accident asked suspiciously. It was Tarou Daiki, the man who had kidnapped Ichi and threatened Ren with a gun; and then got his finger chopped off as punishment.

The second man peered at Ryu for a moment. "He looks familiar, Aniki."

Ryu smirked. "I was there the day you got punished by your Oyasan, Tarou."

Tarou's eyes flashed in anger and humiliation at the mention. "You're from the Oedo clan?" He asked sharply. It was clear that he was trying to keep the insolence out of his voice. Ryu wondered why.

"No, I'm not." Ryu said simply.

This time, it was Tarou's turn to leer at him. "Ah. It's no wonder you don't know. The Oedo clan and the Kakita clan are allies now. You know what this means, don't you? My _enemies_—" He sneered at Takku and Ryu deliberately. "Are their enemies too."

Ryu's blood ran cold. Now he knew why Tarou was so cautious earlier when he thought that Ryu was from the Oedo clan.

Tarou grabbed Ryu's collar roughly. "Should have known that little piece of information before you came sprouting shit in my face, huh?" He was pissed at Ryu for reminding him of his failure. It was because of that that he no longer had a chance to assume a higher position in the ranks. His Oyasan had not removed him from his previous position of Division Leader, but even some of his henchmen looked down on him behind his back, he knew. He was considered a 'lesser fighter' than all of them.

"Let him go!" Takku shoved Tarou violently. The other henchman moved to pull Takku off his Division Leader, but was rewarded with a punch in the gut. Ryu tried to stop Takku, but instead got struck by Tarou. A fight ensued.

* * *

Ren was just going up the steps of his office building when he felt a sudden sense of foreboding. He halted his steps and flared his senses. There, a few hundred metres to the right, he detected a hint of danger. He decided to check it out himself.

Ren closed his eyes and swore under his breath when he saw that it was Ryu and Takku that was being confronted by Tarou and his henchman. Now he couldn't choose to walk away. Ren normally kept his Yakuza side well-hidden around the business district. There were too many eyes in that area that would recognise him in an instant. Ren assessed the surrounding area. There was no one nearby at the moment, seeing as it was nearly 4 in the afternoon. Lunch was long over, and office hours had not yet come to an end.

He strode into the open. "Tarou." He said warningly.

"Kuroda-sama!" Tarou and the other henchman immediately backed down and cowered in shock.

Ren looked at Ryu and Takku with a mixture of concern and displeasure. "Are you guys okay?"

Ryu looked at Ren sheepishly. "Yes." He nudged Takku when the boy made no move to answer. "Yes, Ren-senpai." Takku answered slowly. He was still thoroughly confused. _'What was Ryu-senpai and the man talking about? Why did the man called Ren-senpai 'Kuroda-sama', and why are they so afraid of him?' _A thousand questions were swirling in his head.

"What happened?" Ren knew that he couldn't just dismiss the matter if Ryu and Takku were at fault. With the Kakita clan as their ally and Tarou as one of the Kakita clan's Division Leaders, Ren would have to treat his grievances fairly.

Ryu nudged Takku again. "I'll explain later. Deal with the matter at hand first."

Takku nodded. "Umm. I accidentally knocked into this man." He pointed to Tarou. "I said sorry, but this man—" He pointed to the henchman. "grabbed me. He was yelling at me when Ryu-senpai came. I'm not sure what happened afterwards. They said some stuff and that man (Tarou) was going to hit Ryu-senpai, so I tried to push him away. And then this man (henchman) punched me and we all started fighting."

"What did you say to Tarou, Ryu?" Ren asked evenly, although he had a pretty good idea what Ryu had said.

Ryu looked guilty. "At first I just called him out and stated that this isn't his turf. He asked me how I knew his name, and his henchmen said I looked familiar; so I said that I was there the day he got punished. He asked if I'm from the Oedo clan, and when I said no; he told me that you are now allies and that his enemies are your enemies. He then told me that I should have known that before I said those things to him. He hit me… And the rest is just as Takku-kun said."

Ren nodded. He looked at Tarou and the henchman. "Anything to add?"

They shook their heads. "No, Kuroda-sama."

"Next time, if you have any problems with anyone on my turf; you come to me, you understand?" He asked Tarou and his henchman. They nodded dutifully. "Since Takuya has apologized for the accident; and I think all four of you were equally at fault for the fight, let's call it even retribution and leave it at that, alright?"

"Yes, Kuroda-sama." Tarou and his henchman answered. "Please excuse us." They got up and left as fast as they could.

Ren huffed exasperatedly as he pulled Ryu up. "Seriously, Ryu. What if you blew my cover?"

Ryu grinned. "Sorry, Ren. Couldn't help it. My young mentee was in trouble." He ruffled Takku's hair. Takku pushed Ryu's hand away.

Both Ren and Ryu chuckled. They were once like that too. "So what are you two doing here on a Friday afternoon?"

"I came to pass Hayato some forms he wanted. I was in court today, so I went down to civil division to collect them for him." Ryu explained.

"I forgot my wallet." Takku mumbled. "Oh shit, the guys are still waiting for me at the café!"

Ren snorted. "The cosplay café? I think they would be happy to stay there until tomorrow if you let them. Come on then." He led them back to the office.

"Ryu-senpai, what was going on just now? Why did they call Ren-senpai Ku—" Takku started to ask as they walked into the lobby, but Ryu hastily covered his mouth.

"Later, Takku-kun." Ryu said firmly.

* * *

"Tell me _now_ what's going on!" Takku said defiantly when they finally sat down in Ren's penthouse apartment. He had picked up his wallet, went to tell his friends to go back without him, waited for Ryu to finish talking to Hayato, waited for Ren to wrap up his work, then went for dinner in a nearby restaurant (which they still insisted was too public); and still they had not told him.

Ren took a deep breath. "My birth name is Kazama Ren. But I'm also widely known in the Yakuza as Kuroda Ren, the younger brother of Kuroda Shin." He looked at Takku to see if the boy remembered the name.

"That's… Yankumi's husband, isn't it?" Takku asked hesitantly.

"Yes. Shin is my brother in name, in bond and in blood. I was his Shatei, his right-hand man; when he first took over the Oedo clan five years ago. At the moment, due to some unforeseen circumstances, I am also the temporary _wakagashira_ – that means second-in-command – of the Oedo clan. I'm a man with one foot in the Yakuza and one foot in the 'outside' world, so to speak."

Takku was speechless. His boss was half-Yakuza! So, in a sense, he, Takku, was actually working for the Yakuza!

"Yes, the Red Lion Group was initially founded to be a legal front for the Oedo clan's businesses; but we've grown quite a lot since then. And yes, most of our profits go back to the clan, which is why the Oedo clan is so powerful today." The Oedo clan had finally managed to clearly outrank the Sano clan in terms of strength and influence, making them the 'official' number one in the Yakuza.

"Okay… Then what about the punishment thingy Ryu-senpai was talking about?" Takku asked gingerly.

Ryu shuffled shame-facedly, knowing that it was his fault for bringing it up today. Both Ren and Tarou had obviously moved on from it, seeing as they were now allies. "That's my fault for reopening old wounds. Tarou once kidnapped Ichi – you know, the guy who is now a barista and bartender? Ren went to rescue Ichi, and Tarou got punished by his boss for kidnapping _katagi_ – that's what they call us non-Yakuza people – to win a turf war. It's a bit of a sore spot apparently, because he can no longer get a promotion in his clan." Ryu checked with Ren for confirmation. Ren nodded.

Takku frowned, still trying to process all the information. "But now he and Ren-senpai are allies." He stated puzzledly.

"He has been punished for it, Takuya. I see no reason to hold any more prejudice towards him. Moreover, just because the two of us have a bit of bad history doesn't mean that the rest of our clans should suffer for it. That is why both of us are willing to put the past behind us."

Takku nodded. He guessed it was fair. Unconventional; but fair nonetheless. He, too, would like people to accept him again after he was adequately punished.

Ren spoke up. "If you feel uncomfortable working for me with this knowledge, you can work with Ryu instead." He offered.

Ryu nodded. "We won't force you into an uncomfortable situation, Takku-kun; debt or no debt."

Takku reflected on the offer. He wouldn't mind working with Ryu; but then he would feel indebted to Ren. Ren had helped him with his debt, gave him a golden opportunity when no one else would, and had trusted him to work in his company despite having zero knowledge and experience. Everyone in Ren's company also treated him like a real human being, for the first time in his life. It was more than Takku could ever hope for. "I would like to stay, Ren-senpai."

"Very well. Just let me know if you want to leave."

"Does the rest of the staff know about your dual-identity?" Takku asked. Maybe that was why they were so accepting of delinquents.

Ren shook his head. "No. Only Hayato knows in the whole company. And to answer the mystery you're pondering, Hayato and I don't tolerate judgmental people. The staff knows that any sign of prejudice will result in an immediate dismissal, regardless of whom it is directed towards."

They were interrupted by the front door opening. "Tadaima!" Yamato called out cheerily.

Ren exhaled a deep breath. He guessed it was time to let everything out in the open. He didn't want Takku to discover that he had hidden something else so important from him on a later date. Ren himself, too, hated information being kept from him on purpose. "Okaeri, Yamato. I'm with Ryu and Takuya in the study." He called out.

"Oh. Hi." Yamato greeted them uncertainly as he walked into the study. He shot Ren an apologetic look, but Ren just gave him a welcoming smile as usual.

"Takuya, Yamato and I are dating." Ren said simply.

Takku's eyes widened. Ryu squeezed his shoulder encouragingly. "They've been with each other for a very long time and they love each other very much, Takku-kun. Personally, I think their love is beautiful."

Takku's eyes darted between Ren and Yamato. They didn't seem like they would hurt each other. And it seemed that neither of them would think that the other's touch was dirty either. He watched as Ren greeted Yamato with a swift, chaste kiss. To his surprise, he found the gesture quite sweet, just like any other - heterosexual - couple he had seen kissing. Nevertheless, he still couldn't control the feeling of dread that was pooling in his stomach.

"Ren, can we get some tea? I'm feeling parched." Ryu prompted.

Ren took the hint. "Of course. Yamato, can you help me boil some water?"

As soon as they left, Ryu sat beside Takku. "Are you okay? Talk to me, Takku-kun." The boy looked like he was on the verge of a panic attack.

Takku turned to look at him desperately. "Are you gay too, Ryu-senpai?" It was obvious that he was pleading for the answer to be a solid 'no'.

Ryu wavered. He didn't want to lie, but he didn't want Takku to be afraid of him either. "I've only slept with girls before; but I'm bisexual."

"So… you… you've _dated_ a guy?" Takku asked in disbelief.

"Yes. Although 'currently dating' would be a more accurate term."

If it was anyone other than Ryu that had made that admission, Takku would have bolted on the spot. But he trusted Ryu a lot more than any other person. And if Ryu thought that _you-know-what_ was acceptable, then Takku would at least listen to his explanations. "Why… why do you like guys?"

Ryu considered the question. "That's an unfairly broad question, Takku-kun. I don't like all guys, just as I don't like all girls. There are no specific characteristics that I can pin it down to. I won't sleep with a girl just because she has long legs, and I won't sleep with a guy just because he is well-built. As to the guy I'm currently seeing; he is someone that I care about, and he cares for me very much in return."

"So, gender is just another characteristic for whomever you're attracted to?" Takku tried to rationalise.

"To us bisexuals, yes. Heterosexuals and homosexuals may be limited to a particular gender; but similarly, it boils down to both physical and emotional compatibility. Take Ren, for example. I've known him for about 8 years now; but I don't even know if he's gay or bi. He doesn't have eyes for anyone except Yamato. And he loves Yamato so much that I'm willing to bet if Yamato turns into a girl tomorrow morning, Ren would turn straight in an instant." Ryu joked.

Takku gave a tiny smile at Ryu's attempt at humour. "I think I understand what you're trying to say, Ryu-senpai. Just because Ueda was a perverted bastard doesn't mean that every other gay man is like him."

"You forgot paedophile." Ryu added. "Don't ever forget that, Takku-kun. It doesn't matter if both parties consented, or was pressured to consent; it is never right to touch a child – a minor I mean." He amended.

"Thanks, Ryu-senpai. Do you think Ren-senpai and Yamato-senpai are offended?" He asked tentatively, mentally slapping himself for his rude reaction earlier. _'Good job, dumbass. Did you not just found out that Ren-senpai is a Yakuza boss?'_

"Of course not, Takku-kun. Come on, you can go find out for yourself."

* * *

"Ren-senpai, Yamato-senpai, I'm happy for both of you." Takku-kun said softly.

Ren smiled as he handed the boy a cup of tea. "Thank you. And I hope that one day you'll be able to find someone to love and cherish as well, Takuya."

"Can you call me Takku-kun like Ryu-senpai, Ren-senpai?"

"As with everything else, all you ever need to do is ask, Takku-kun."

* * *

**A/N: No, Ryu's relationship will not** **be explored in this fic. The subtle reference used is very deliberate. That is the way I planned this storyline from the start. **

**But after the flood of 'what-happened-to-Shinkumi' enquiries at the end of 'Transformation of a Red Lion', I've decided that I will post a one-shot at the end of this fic. This may seem counter-intuitive, but I would actually encourage you to not read it (I think the story ends better on its own). Feel free to speculate and fantasise what happens to Ryu (especially in light of the events mentioned in the epilogue – just 2 more chapters to go, by the way). **


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: This is the third last chapter, so there's actually two more chapter after this. Sorry for the misinformation. **

* * *

"Oh hey, Takku-kun. What's up?" Ryu asked when he opened the door.

"I was gonna ask you out for lunch, actually. Seems like it's a bad time though?" He looked at Ryu all dressed up.

"Yeah, I'm going out for lunch, but you can come with me if you want. It's Yamato's birthday, and Ren is on duty at the Oedo house; so we're heading over there to keep Yamato company. It'll just be Shin and one of his henchmen Tetsu, Ren and Yamato, and Hayato and I. Shin and Ren don't like other people hanging out there."

"Umm. Is it okay for me to go then?" Takku asked uncertainly. All of them had assured him repeatedly that Shin was a really nice person, but Takku still had his reservations. He was the biggest Yakuza boss in Japan, for goodness sake!

"I'll vouch for you." Ryu joked. "Okay, promise me that you won't drink, won't pick a fight with anyone, and will run away if any of us tell you to."

Takku made a face at the last part. He hated sounding like a coward, but he would never dare to disobey Kuroda Shin or Kuroda Ren. "Uh, okay. I promise."

"Well, come on then."

* * *

Shin shot Ryu an amused look when the latter entered the house followed by his younger plus one. Ryu was quietly whispering to Takku about how to place his shoes when visiting a Yakuza home, while Takku was nodding obediently at his every word. They looked like a pair of father and son, despite only an 8 year age difference. He was glad, though; to see Ryu passing on the baton to someone else.

"I bring sincere greetings, Kumichou Kuroda-sama." Takku greeted Shin formally as per Ryu's instructions. He stole a look at Shin's face. The man looked a lot less scary than Takku had imagined him to be. He looked a bit like Ren, stern but approachable.

"Thank you, Takuya-san. You may address me informally within the walls of my humble abode." Shin replied with equal formality. _'Ryu must be giving the boy etiquette training.'_ He chuckled internally. He didn't blame Ryu. They had been brought up to believe that social etiquette was as essential as fresh air, which was why Shin made sure that it was the first thing he drilled into Ren as well.

"Thank you for bestowing me the honour, Shin-senpai. I pray that you too will find it in your heart to address me in a similar manner."

Shin gave Ryu a discerning smile. His young protégé was doing a great job. "Of course, Takku-kun. Please, come in."

Ren held out a hand to stop Takku before the boy could open his mouth to greet the second host. "I think Aniki has already passed you. Unlike him and Ryu, I wasn't brought up to speak like that. So, spare me the torment, please."

"Umm…" Takku started before quickly taking it back when he saw Ryu shooting him a sharp look. Informal speak didn't mean that he should be stuttering. He cleared his throat. "I mean, alright. Hi, Ren-senpai. Happy birthday, Yamato-senpai."

Ren and Yamato shared an amused smile at Ryu's blatant smothering. Funnily though, the young delinquent did not seem to mind the least. "Hi Takku-kun." "Thanks, Takku-kun."

Hayato dragged Takku to sit beside him. "Come here, we need to separate you from the mother hen. So, where did everyone else go?" He asked Shin.

"I've sent Koisuke and Minoru on an errand down south. They'll be back in a couple of days. Makoto has a family emergency, so I allowed him to go home for the rest of the week. Ojiisan and Kumiko are attending some distant relatives' full moon celebration. I didn't go because there was no one else to stand guard at home."

"Ren and I could have done it, Oyasan." Tetsu said quietly.

Shin shook his head firmly. He was not taking any chances after what happened to Wakamatsu. "You're still recovering, Tetsu. I don't want you back in service until your doctor gives you the clear."

Tetsu looked at Yamato hopefully. Yamato snorted. "Not a chance. Ben-sensei is one of the bitchiest men on the planet. I'm not going to tell him what to do with his patients."

Ren nudged Tetsu playfully. "No harassing my boyfriend on his birthday, Tetsu."

Tetsu hung his head in disappointment.

Shin watched their interactions fondly. "Alright, let's eat. We give thanks for all life." He started.

"Itadakimasu." Everybody chorused.

As per Oedo family tradition, their meal consisted of hotpot. Yamato took one taste of the soup and narrowed his eyes at Ren. He turned to Tetsu. "Thanks for cooking, Tetsu."

"Eh, I thought Ren said that he cooked this?" Hayato asked confusedly.

Ren looked sheepish.

Yamato shrugged. "That's what he told me too. But seeing as this is edible, I believe Tetsu had intervened at some point."

"Hey!" Ren protested feebly, before giving up the charade. "Well, I did try. It just didn't work."

Shin laughed. "He left out the part where he almost burned down the kitchen. I must say that that's one area I have failed as a mentor. But no matter what I do, he just can't seem to get it."

All of them laughed while Ren pouted. He looked so adorable that Yamato couldn't resist kissing the pouty lips, despite being in the presence of company. "Thanks for trying, love. I appreciate that."

In the midst of their teasing and taunting, however, Shin stiffened visibly.

Sensing the sudden change in his Aniki's mood; Ren, too, tensed up. He shot Shin a questioning look.

Shin did not say a word but looked straight at Ren. Without further ado, Ren got up and left the room.

"What's going on, Shin?" Yamato asked worriedly.

Shin's expression was grave. "I'm sorry, Yamato." That was all he said.

Yamato felt his heart sink. Nevertheless he put up a brave face and nodded.

Ren came back to the room, looking no different than when he left; but Yamato knew that under his kimono was now a midnight black katana and a row of matching tantōs.

Shin grabbed his own golden katana from the mantel and stood up. "Tetsu, stay out of this and protect all of them. This is an order."

"Hee, Oyasan." Tetsu knew that when Shin's tone brooked no argument. It meant to obey or suffer at the pain of death.

Ren drew Yamato into a hasty kiss. "I'll be back."

* * *

Tetsu looked at the pale faces around the table. Yamato was practically falling apart. He didn't blame the man. The last time his boyfriend had gone out for a fight in the middle of a meal, he had come back at the brink of death. Tetsu knew that the young doctor was worried that Ren would be on the wrong side of that brink this time.

"Don't worry, Yamato. Last time it was because we were seriously outnumbered. Oyasan did not call for back-up, so it must be a number that he thinks they can handle."

Yamato didn't look convinced.

Tetsu sighed. Yamato had to learn how to let Ren go. "There's an observation deck upstairs. If the fight takes place in the Oedo compound – which I suspect is so – you'll be able to see it from there. Even if it is not, you'll still be able to see them come back at the earliest point in time." He sincerely hoped that he would not regret this decision.

All of them rose from their seats immediately. Tetsu led the way to the attic that doubled as an observation deck. Tetsu felt a pang of sorrow in his heart. The last time he had been up here was with Wakamatsu and Minoru, when they were spying on Shin and Yankumi sparring. Eight years seemed to have flown by without him realising.

He shook himself out of the thoughts of the past and focused on the present. His suspicion was right. The fight was, indeed, occurring in the Oedo house's external compound. He could tell from Shin and Ren's haste, coupled with the fact that Shin gave him orders to 'protect them' rather than 'escape with them'. He mentally thanked all the gods in the universe for Shin's sensitive senses. Another few more minutes and the attackers would have come crashing through the doors.

Yamato looked down in numb disbelief. Surrounding Shin and Ren… was a katana-wielding battalion of more than 20 men.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Some of you may find that Yamato is becoming more and more 'feminine' in character as the story progresses. I assure you that that is NOT the case. He is as masculine as ever, perhaps even more so than the rest of his friends; it's just that Ren is now a super-Yakuza kind of man, so obviously Yamato is not going to appear as tough as he is in comparison. And it doesn't help that Ren is constantly putting himself in mortal danger. So whenever Yamato cries; just imagine him doing so in a very normal, very manly sort of way, alright?**

**Just had to put that out there because I don't like the typical _seme-uke_ relationships. **

* * *

They watched as Shin and Ren stood back to back right in the middle of the battleground, both their heads lifted tall and strong. There was not a single trace of fear or nervousness on their faces, only fierce concentration and wilful determination.

Their movements were perfectly in sync as they assumed their fighting stance. It seemed like they were dancing to a tune that only both of them could hear. With exact precision, both their hands gripped their katanas at the same time, paused for a split second; and drew them out with equally magnificent gracefulness.

The first attack, of course, came at Shin. And even though he could have blocked it himself, he twisted himself to the side so that Ren could block it without harming him. It was then that Yamato realized that Shin, too, knew that Ren's first instinct was to protect him; and was using it as a battle strategy. Conversely, but not surprisingly, Shin moved to fend off a slash aimed at Ren instead. As they continued their intricate dance, it was clear to all the observers that neither man was fighting for themselves. They were both fighting for the other. And in some paradoxical sort of way, they complemented each other perfectly. It was because their desires to protect each other were equally strong and equally selfless; that they were able to keep each other alive and free from harm.

All the observers except Tetsu screamed when Shin swung his katana backwards to prepare for the next hit, as they all thought that he was going to accidentally wound Ren; but Ren simply ducked at the exact moment the blade would have cut through him – not a second early, not a second late.

"They will never injure each other by accident." Tetsu said quietly. "They know precisely where the other is all the time, and what their next move will be. Ren knows the exact angle Oyasan will swing his katana, just as Oyasan knows the exact time Ren will throw his tantōs."

As Tetsu predicted, the next moment Shin crouched onto the ground just as Ren flung ten tantōs one after another so rapidly that they seemed to have been launched at the same time. All ten of them struck their intended targets in the exact same spot; which is at the base of the throat, right below the Adam's apple. Yamato was impressed. Ren clearly knew the most vulnerable spot in the entire human body.

The ten attackers who were struck fell abruptly, causing their comrades to falter for a brief moment. Most of them had not seen Ren throwing the tantōs and were wondering if there were other hidden opponents around them. And that one millisecond pause was all Shin and Ren needed. They reached backwards to grab each other's arm in synchronization, before swinging each other powerfully in the opposite direction – causing Ren to lurch towards the attackers in front of Shin; and Shin to land amongst those who were facing Ren.

The sudden foreign presence threw their attackers into further disorder, coupled by the fact that it was a different person from whom they had been focusing on just a moment ago. It took their addled brains an additional second before they could process that this new person, too, was an enemy. Nevertheless, those precious few moments had been irretrievably lost to them. Shin and Ren attacked at least half of them before the realization could even sink in. Twin katanas, gold and black, cut through throats as smooth as a pair of sushi knives. The remaining half of the attackers scampered around wildly, trying to avoid the bodies that were falling around them like a row of dominoes.

With the attackers' formation gone and their numbers dwindling, Shin and Ren pressed forward with increased ease. Shin put his incredible speed into gear, while Ren used his long limbs to his advantage. Ren jumped and somersaulted over the obstacles around him, making himself a constantly moving and inherently unpredictable target. Yamato quietly thanked Kura and Ichi for putting up with all the 'practice' Ren had done in high school.

"Look closely at the index finger on their left hand." Tetsu prompted Yamato suddenly.

Yamato squinted as he tried to stare at Ren's hand. It was difficult, considering that the katana, which he held with both hands; was constantly moving. At last, Yamato saw it. "He's tapping his finger to… something."

"Oyasan is doing it too. Now match the tempo of Ren's tapping to Oyasan's slashes and vice versa."

"They're keeping track of each others katanas!" Yamato realized aloud.

Tetsu nodded. "Yes. When they are far apart, that is how they keep track of the other person's progress. It is easier to follow the sound of the other person's katana than to keep their detection senses fixed on each other; although they can do that too if they want to. So, be rest assured, Yamato. Oyasan is always looking out for Ren."

"How do they know which sound come from which katanas?" Hayato asked. The metallic clangs sounded all the same to him.

"Oyasan's katana is coated with real gold, so the reverberation it makes is higher than your average metal. Ren's katana is coated with obsidian, so it emits a slightly more muted tenor. You can't hear it with a naked ear." He told them to their disappointment. "I can barely hear it too, even after years of training with Oyasan. But Oyasan and Ren are very in tune with each other in every sense. To them, the sound each other's katana makes is as obvious as a church bell tolling in the middle of the night."

Takku watched the two graceful figures on the battlefield in breathless awe. If not for the very realistic, bright-red splattering of blood, the scene before them could very well qualify as an extremely well-choreographed dance recital. _'This is not a fight,'_ He thought. _'It's a battle royale.'_ At that very moment, Takku fully understood why Shin and Ren had joined the Yakuza. It was their art, their calling, their Moirai. They did it, because no one in this world could do it better than them. They did it, because they were the ones who could. And lastly they did it, because no one else would.

Down on the battlefield, both Shin and Ren swung their katanas one last time in perfect unison, felling their last two opponents. Once again they reunited with one another in the centre of the battlefield, this time with only the two of them left standing. Holding each other's gaze unwaveringly; they sheathed their katanas in one beautiful, harmonized chime.

* * *

Yamato was the first one to run down the stairs to meet the two warriors. "Ren!" He threw his arms around Ren in a muffled sob.

Ren couldn't help it. He laughed. "Yamato…" He knew that they had been watching from the observation deck upstairs. "You should be saying 'my hero' and exalting me! I did just save everyone's lives." He joked, although he rubbed Yamato's back comfortingly.

"Shut up, you horrible person." Yamato sniffled. "Do you know how worried I was?"

Ren smiled. "I know, Yamato. But I'm fine, see? I'll always come back to you, I promise." He kissed him on the forehead. "Now that you've seen me fight, would you trust me to do that?"

Yamato wiped away his tears and nodded. "Thank you." He whispered to Shin. He knew that it was thanks to the man that his boyfriend had survived this long.

Shin smiled at his almost-brother-in-law affectionately. "Always, Yamato. You have my word."

"That was… amazing, guys." Ryu breathed. Hayato and Takku nodded furiously in agreement.

Shin gave them a sorrowful, melancholic smile. "Thanks. Sometimes, though, I wished we didn't have to."

"Ah, of course, forgive me for being so insensitive." Ryu apologized.

"That's not what Aniki meant, Ryu. We're way past that stage already." Ren clarified. "He meant that sometimes he wished that there wasn't a need for us to be so 'amazing', in your words. We didn't train to kill like that as a hobby. We trained because there was a need, because of the level of threat that we knew was out there, and because we had to survive. That was what that hurt the most during our training, you know? Not the wounds or cuts we sustained, but the thought that one day we would have to kill merely to survive another day. And the knowledge that the better we became at defending ourselves, the more people would die under our hands—"

"Ren, that's enough." Shin interrupted gently. "We both made the choice. We'll have to live with it."

"Yes, Aniki. My apologies." Ren bowed his head respectfully.

"I'm sorry our meal was interrupted yet again, Yamato." Shin said remorsefully. "Please feel free to adjourn to another venue, all covered under my tab of course."

"Don't be silly." Yamato huffed at Shin through his still-wet eyes. "As if we're going to allow you two to wallow in self-pity for the rest of the day!"

Hayato grinned. "Exactly. We'll be continuing our party! Except now it will be… a cosy get-together."

Shin smirked. "If it's going to be as _cosy_ as that night in the bar, I would rather stay out of it please."

"Shin!" Ryu rebuked, closing Takku's ears. "There's a kid around!"

Shin rolled his eyes. "Ryu, he just watched us kill 30 people in cold blood. I don't think sex is that new of a concept in comparison. Though I must say that _that _was quite raunchy." He winked suggestively.

"What? What? What did you guys do?" Takku asked excitedly.

"Nothing you will know, young man." Ryu said sharply, throwing everyone in the room a warning glare.

All of them sniggered. Ryu was becoming worse than Yankumi.

"Alright, mother hen." Ren chuckled. He pulled a very reluctant Yamato off his chest. "Yamato, I need to change." He said softly. It was only then that they noticed that the front of his kimono was drenched in blood.

Shin too, made to leave the room. "We'll be right back."

* * *

30 minutes later, they stood beside a freshly showered Shin and Ren as the two brothers threw their soiled kimonos into a furnace.

Yamato had managed to recollect himself. "Now I know why all your Oedo clan kimonos look so new, Ren." He joked.

Ren smiled sadly. "Yeah. We hardly get the chance to wash them. But –" He looked at Shin. "One day we will, won't we, Aniki? None of Ojiisan's kimonos are hardly new, even back when he was still the Kumichou."

Shin smiled as he gave a silent nod in agreement. That was their common goal.

* * *

**A/N: Credits to MaiaAlcippe for the phrase 'smooth as a sushi knife' – I finally got to use it! Sorry it came so late. ****:)**

**Next chapter will be the finale! I'm feeling sad and excited at the same time! :/**


	27. Chapter 27

**(Three years later)**

"My company's annual dinner is coming up soon." Ren announced suddenly one day.

Yamato made a noncommittal noise at the back of his throat and continued to read his medical journal. Ren attended at least 5 public functions a month. They were all business related in some way or another. Yamato never bothered. It was too boring, in his opinion. Not to mention that he wouldn't understand any of the business talk.

"I was wondering if you would like to go with me." Ren tried again.

Yamato looked up at him strangely. Ren knew very well that he didn't like those functions. "Is there a particular reason why you're asking me to go this time?"

"Well, this dinner is going to be quite big, with the launch of our new division and all; so there will be a lot of press in attendance."

"Mmm. And?" Yamato still couldn't see where this is going.

Ren huffed in frustration. All his life, Yamato could understand him without even speaking; and he chose _now_ to not understand? He cleared his throat. "I'm getting sick of being accosted by date invitations."

"Just for the dinner? Must be a very important dinner, huh? You can just accept a random invitation if you want, Ren. I don't mind." Yamato said absent-mindedly, his eyes fixed on a very gruesome picture of bloodied intestines. Ren sometimes thought that Yamato might have a stronger stomach than he did, despite all the blood and gore he witnessed in the Yakuza.

Ren sighed and tugged the journal away from Yamato's hands. "Yamato, love, I'm asking if you want to go public with me."

Yamato was dumbstruck. Ren was now a prominent public figure more than ever. The Red Lion Group had just undergone some major overhaul and restructuring; and had successfully launched a very controversial hostile takeover of a major newspaper company in Japan. Ren's name was in the business section of the news almost every day. Furthermore, he had been constantly hinting that the new division he was launching would attract even more phenomenal attention.

"You want us to go public?" Yamato asked slowly.

Ren took Yamato's smooth hands into his own calloused ones. Both pairs of hands were extremely skilled with sharp blades, in their own special way. "I know this is a big move. You'll be thrown into the limelight for a while. We might lose our privacy. We might be openly dissed for being gay. So don't worry if you would rather not. I won't blame you one bit."

Yamato hesitated. On one hand, he did want to lay his claim on his 'Most Eligible Bachelor' boyfriend, and he didn't care about prejudiced bigots; but on the other hand, he did value his privacy and hated limelight of any sorts. Even when he performed a groundbreaking minimal-invasion robotic surgery last year, he had flat out refused any interviews; opting instead to let the hospital director field any questions from the press.

"What brought this about, Ren?" He asked. He wanted to know why Ren had suggested it in the first place. He knew that it definitely was not just because the man was tired of turning down date invitations and marriage proposals.

Ren held Yamato's left hand gently, running his thumb over Yamato's ring finger. "I just thought that I really want to commit to you, but it's not like I can ask you to marry me; so… I was hoping I can show you how serious I am this way."

Yamato's breath hitched. Ren wanted to marry him! Well, not really, since gay marriages weren't legal in Japan; but the point was that Ren actually _wanted_ to marry him! It didn't matter to him what the label was – marriage, commitment, union, going public – the intention was all that mattered. "You want to marry me?" He repeated breathlessly.

Ren ruffled slightly and Yamato could almost see the non-existent blush on his cheeks. "Will you marry me if we could, Yamato?"

"Yes, Ren, oh my god, a thousand times yes!" Yamato kissed him soundly on the lips.

Ren beamed at him brightly. "Do you want a ring? I can get one if you want one. I was about to, but I didn't know how you would feel about it. I didn't want to pressure you unnecessarily… And you can't wear a ring when you're working on a surgery... I should have just gotten one, right? I'm sor—"

Yamato laughed and kissed him before he could finish his babbling. Ren looked so cute when he was feeling insecure. It was a side of Ren that only a handful people got to see, and Yamato considered himself lucky to be included in that exclusive group. "Ren, don't even try to apologize during the happiest moment of my life. No, I do not need a ring. You're right, I can't wear it into the surgical theatre; so the constant putting on and taking off might cause me to lose it. And lastly, I would _love_ to go public with you."

"I can't even begin to tell you how much I love you, Yamato." Ren murmured adoringly at his boyfriend, er, fiancé, er, husband?

Yamato was practically glowing in happiness. "I think I have a pretty good idea, Ren. You did just ask me to marry you."

Ren chuckled and kissed Yamato's forehead. "Thank you, Yamato. For choosing to spend the rest of your life with me, whether official or not."

Yamato squeezed his hand tightly. "Thank you for choosing me, too, Ren. And I couldn't have chosen anyone better."

* * *

The flashing of the cameras had not gone off since Kazama Ren, CEO of the Red Lion Group stepped onto the red carpet with a dark haired man on his arm. The _'on his arm'_ bit being the particular focal point of the evening. Neither man had made a statement. Ren, as usual, gave a polite nod to the press and walked away without answering any questions; leaving his press secretary to issue any statements if necessary. Tonight, however, even his press secretary had admitted that she had no idea who the man on her boss' arm was.

Yamato sat beside Ren at the main table. Hayato, Shin and Kaoruko were there too, but all of them had come alone. Shin wouldn't have minded not attending at all; but Ren always insisted that he come for the annual dinners. To Ren, there would be no Red Lion Group if not for Shin; so he wanted Shin to witness its growth and its accomplishments. Shin's yearly presence was simply explained as Ren's godbrother to avoid rampant speculation. Kaoruko's presence further strengthened the excuse for Shin's attendance, as it showed that Ren cherished his family's support. That, and of course she wanted to witness her little brother's success with her own eyes. Ren could never deny her that privilege. She had, after all, raise him with her own two hands.

The dinner started uneventfully, with Ren giving a simple opening address and welcoming everyone to the 8th Annual Dinner of the Red Lion Group. He thanked the organizing committee for a job well done and bade everyone to enjoy the rest of the night.

As dinner was being served, the screen presented the guests with a summary of major projects that the Group had been completed in the past financial year, as well as glimpses of future projects to entice potential investors. Mid-way through dinner, the emcee got up the stage and began to present numerous awards to people within the company; ranging from proper awards such as Best Team Leader, to humorous ones such as Worst Toilet Etiquette. Ren was presented with Best Boss, Best Leader, Most Secretive Person, Most Generous Benefactor (also commonly referred to as the Kuma's Ramen and Dumplings Award) and Best Visionary. Ren rolled his eyes at some of the awards (he was the _only_ boss, duh); but accepted them graciously and in good humour. Hayato was awarded Best Financial Planner, Best Nagger, Best Boss Wannabe and Most One-Night-Stands. Everyone laughed at the last one, including the man himself.

Next, gifts of appreciation were given out to employees to thank them for their hard work. Ren got the newest tablet computer, which he promptly handed to his sister because he already owned four different models of those. Hayato received a high-tech graphic calculator (which he huffed at in disgust) and a giant box of candy-flavoured condoms (which he showily waved towards the cheering crowd).

"Is it always so… festive?" Yamato whispered to Hayato curiously. It was a far cry from what he had imagined business functions to be.

"Nope, not really." Hayato whispered back. "It's usually really dull and boring, but two weeks ago Ren summoned the organizing committee and told them in no uncertain terms to 'cut the boring crap and give everyone some entertainment for once'." He looked at Yamato pointedly. "I have a pretty good guess who 'everyone' is supposed to be."

Yamato blushed slightly, but felt touched at the gesture all the same.

At last, it was time to unveil the Red Lion Group's next big project to the public – the birth of their newest division.

Ren stepped up to the stage.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. 8 years ago, I started the Red Lion Group with just two companies. A hotel by the name of Emerald Dragon; and a small movie theatre formerly called Crown, now known as the Crown Royal Entertainment Complex. Today, the Red Lion Group has more than 50 direct subsidiaries and close to 150 indirect subsidiaries and partners, spanning across 9 main divisions; namely hospitality, food and beverage, entertainment, transport, media, retail, financial services, manufacturing and real estate. Tonight, on our 8th anniversary, I am proud to announce our 10th and newest division – HEALTHCARE!"

Yamato stared in shock as the lights dimmed and a video presentation started playing, describing the main projects that the new division would be undertaking. Their 5-year-plan included a private hospital, an aged-care facility, a blood bank and a research centre.

As soon as the presentation ended, Ren stepped up onto the stage again. "I would like to dedicate this new division to my best friend and long-term partner, Dr Ogata Yamato. This division is a tribute of my everlasting devotion to him and a testimony of the many lives he has saved and inspired alike, including mine. Dr Ogata is currently one of the best surgeons in Japan, and is one of the frontline pioneers of robotic surgery. It is my sincere hope that through the new healthcare division, I would be able to help fulfil Dr Ogata's desire to save as many lives as possible. Once again, I thank you all for your continuous support for the Red Lion Group of Companies. I hope to work with each and every one of you again in the next business year. Thank you and good night."

With that, he gave his signature nod and walked off the stage; not caring about the softer than usual applause, or the whisperings of _'long-time partner' _and _'everlasting devotion' _among the guests.

He walked back to his seat and pulled Yamato to his feet. "I hope you liked it, Yamato. Take it as a wedding present from me."

Yamato smiled at him lovingly. "I do, Ren. Thank you."

Still standing, Ren tilted Yamato's chin up and kissed him on the lips; drawing a huge gasp from the entire crowd.

Shin, Hayato and Kaoruko started to clap beside them, leading the rest of the guests into a slow, uncertain applause.

"Congratulations, you two." Shin gave a big smile.

"Thanks, Shin." Yamato replied.

"Aniki now; if you don't mind, Yamato." Shin said kindly.

"Oneesan for me." Kaoruko added with a smile.

"Oh, you know, just call me Hayato." Hayato deadpanned, resulting in two strong cuffs to his head.

* * *

_Most Eligible Bachelor Gay; Dedicates New Healthcare Division to Long-Term Boyfriend _

_(30 June, Tokyo) – In an unprecedented move yesterday night, Japan's Most Eligible Bachelor, Kazama Ren (30), dedicated a new multi-million dollar division in his conglomerate, the Red Lion Group, to his long-term boyfriend, Dr Ogata Yamato. _

_Kazama Ren arrived at the 8th Annual Dinner of the Red Lion Group with his boyfriend on his arm, smiling politely to bystanders. Attendees of the prestigious business event commented that both men looked 'happy and very much in love'. Upon Kazama Ren's announcement of the dedication, the couple shared a kiss in front of all their guests. _

_Hearts were broken all over Japan as the nation discovered that its Most Eligible Bachelor is no longer eligible; and most likely have not been for some time. Netizens have taken to criticize both Kazama Ren and the government alike on Internet forums. Some people believe that Kazama Ren should not have misled the public into thinking that he was available; whereas some people are putting the blame on conservative legislative policies which prevent couples like Kazama Ren and Dr Ogata Yamato from tying the knot. _

_Kazama Ren has been voted the Most Eligible Bachelor by Cosmopolitan Japan for 3 years in a row. The young entrepreneur founded the Red Lion Group of Companies in 2007, which grew into one of Japan's biggest companies almost overnight. He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws with first class honours from Toudai University in 2006. His net worth is currently estimated to be at approximately 750 million yen, despite only achieving 30 years of age this year. _

_Not much yet is known about Kazama Ren's boyfriend, Dr Ogata Yamato. He is said to be one of the pioneers of robotic surgery, a fact confirmed by the Japanese Medical Association. Neither of the two parties could be reached for comment. _

* * *

_Red Lion Group's CEO retires at age 34_

_(27 June, Tokyo) – Kazama Ren, age 34, CEO of the multi-billion dollar conglomerate, the Red Lion Group of Companies, announced his plan to retire from the business at its 12__th__ Annual Dinner last night. _

_In his speech, Kazama Ren thanked his family and friends for their support over the years; and expressed his gratitude to all his employees who have helped the business expand over the past decade. The young billionaire cited his grandfather's declining health and his desire to spend more time with his family as the main reasons for his premature retirement. He, however, assured his employees and shareholders that he will still be occupying an advisory role in the conglomerate; and 'will always be ready to help out if needed'._

_The position of CEO is succeeded by Yabuki Hayato (35); former CFO, close friend and co-worker of Kazama Ren. Indeed, Yabuki Hayato has stayed with the Red Lion Group ever since the day of its inception; and Kazama Ren has constantly attributed part of the Group's success to his faithful CFO over the years. _

_We at Nippon News wish Kazama Ren a happy retirement; and CEO Yabuki Hayato the best of luck in the days ahead. _

* * *

_Kuroda Brothers – myth or legend?_

_(27 April, Tokyo) – The sudden political upheaval last Monday has led to renewed speculation of the Kuroda Brothers. Many people believe that the major reshuffling is the work of the legendary (or mythical) Kuroda Brothers. The upheaval was set in motion with the initiation of a vote of no confidence against (now former) Prime Minister Suzuki Kouta, mid-way through a normal Monday morning Parliamentary debate. Political commentators were baffled by the sudden suggestion of the vote, as there had been no hints of serious opposition against Suzuki Kouta previously. Even more baffling was the fact that the vote managed to garner the support of both right and left-wing extremists alike; including Suzuki Kouta's long-time political advisor and good friend, Speaker Sawada Shotaro. The unexpected vote achieved a staggering 82% of support in Parliament; ousting Suzuki Kouta from office with immediate effect. _

_Following that, Deputy Prime Minister Aoi Tamaki was declared interim prime minister before a new Liberal leader could be elected. Popular favourites at the time were Aoi Tamaki (56), Takizawa Murata (54) and Yazu Chika (50). _

_An emergency Liberal intra-party election was called on Friday morning, and the results were announced the following Monday. More surprises ensued when none of the three top 'favourites' managed to secure the leadership position. In fact, the Liberal Party's leadership was won by Odagiri Ryu (43); a popular candidate and upcoming favourite, but was initially thought to be too young to stand a chance against the more experienced veterans as abovementioned. Odagiri Ryu was first elected as a member of the House of Representatives at the age of 30, and has been steadily rising through the ranks at each subsequent election. _

_Prime Minister Odagiri Ryu was sworn into office on Tuesday morning. His first agenda was the full pardon of Kuroda Shin (45), well-known Yakuza leader and the 4__th__ generation Kumichou of the Oedo clan, the current biggest clan in the Yakuza. Kuroda Shin was detained 2 weeks ago for, amongst others, alleged involvement in organized crime. The full and irrevocable pardon was signed and sanctioned by Parliament before the end of the day itself; circumventing a long process that usually take months, if not years, to complete. Kuroda Shin was home and reunited with his family by dinner time on Tuesday night. The timing of the political upheaval coupled with the similarity in surname predictably sparked a frenzy of old and new rumours about the legendary Kuroda Brothers, who are said to be able to bring Japan to its knees. _

_There has been many speculations over the years regarding the existence of the Kuroda Brothers, most notably during the financial crisis of 2020; but official investigations have been inconclusive. No one has been able to claim that they know the Kuroda Brothers or reveal their real names. Just three years ago, the Japanese Federal Police Bureau released a statement clarifying that they do not know if the Kuroda Brothers are men, brothers, or even named Kuroda in the first place. This writer is of the humble opinion that if the Kuroda Brothers indeed exist, and the power they wield is true; then it is highly improbable that we will discover their real identities unless they wished it. _

* * *

**THE END **

**A/N: That is the ****final**** end! I hope all of you enjoyed 'Transformation of a Red Lion' and 'Transformation of a White Tiger' as much as I've enjoyed writing it! Hugs and kisses to all my readers and reviewers!**


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